2023 News Archives

Restore justice partners' data access. The vast majority of this state's county attorneys make a strong argument in asking the Minnesota Judicial Branch to restore access to a computer system that provides timely, accurate information about legal cases. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, December 12, 2023).

How Ramsey County Addresses Public Safety. As part of our ongoing series on Re-Imagining Public Safety, we interviewed Ramsey County’s chief prosecutor John Choi. (Minnesota Women’s Press, Saint Paul, MN December 3, 2023).

Minnesota lawmakers changed felony murder laws, which could mean the release of prisoners. Because the new law is retroactive, it could also lead to the release of dozens of people now imprisoned for murder. (Minnesota Reformer, Minneapolis, MN November 15, 2023).

Ramsey County to launch pilot project aimed at reforming cash bail system. Under the plan, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS only low-level offenders would be eligible for the new project. (KSTP-TV, Saint Paul, MN, October 3, 2023).

Ramsey County votes to spend $6 million in state public safety money on bail reform, jail calls and more. Under the plan, a navigator will also help connect people to mental health and addiction services and overcome barriers to appearing in court, such as transportation. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, September 26, 2023).

Ramsey County authorities planning 'full-court press' on nonfatal shooting investigations. The Ramsey County Attorney's Office plans to use $1.7 million over four years to pay for an investigator from the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office, shooting investigations for local law enforcement, quicker turnaround times to test guns used in crimes, and a fund for victim witnesses' safety. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, September 25, 2023).

Ramsey County aims to boost trust between law enforcement, legal system and LGBTQ communities. In an effort to start shifting that dynamic in Minnesota, about 30 prosecutors, victim advocates and law enforcement professionals gathered Friday in an auditorium at the Wellstone Center on St. Paul's West Side for training on working with crime victims who are members of LGBTQ communities. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, September 24, 2023).

Ramsey County looks to combat sex trafficking. Ramsey County Attorney John Choi imagines a world without sex trafficking, where boys will grow up to be loving and kind and girls will be valued and safe. (White Bear Press, White Bear Lake, MN, September 20, 2023).

A smart strategy on car thefts. Their mission is to nab car thieves, recover stolen vehicles and, importantly, to quickly connect offenders who are usually young with services. (Buffalo News, Buffalo NY, August 6, 2023).

With a Broad Coalition, Minnesota Overhauls Its Criminal Justice System. The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, for example, brought attention to the fact that few people were taking advantage of the state’s existing expungement statutes, which involved a costly and time-consuming process. The new legislation removes many of those barriers for low-level charges. (Arnold Ventures, Washington DC, August 2023)

Keeping Lights On! and building trust. It's a successful effort that creates much-needed goodwill while fixing problems for vehicle owners. It merits additional philanthropic support and expansion to more jurisdictions to build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, July 18, 2023).

St. Paul policy limiting 'broken taillight' stops is reducing racial disparity in policing. An initiative by law enforcement leaders in St. Paul, Minnesota, to reduce racial profiling and improve police efficiency is producing some promising early results, according to officials there, and laying down a roadmap toward more equitable policing. (Reuters, Toronto, CA, July 13, 2023)

St. Paul carjackings are down. Cops say new programs are making a difference. With declines in carjackings and auto thefts so far this year in St. Paul, Fletcher and Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said it’s a sign their efforts are working, and they announced Thursday they’ve received additional state grant funding to continue. (Pioneer Press, Saint Paul, MN, July 13, 2023).

Better, more humane traffic stops in Ramsey County. Ramsey County Attorney John Choi took a chance a few years ago, betting that a controversial change regarding which motor vehicle cases to prosecute would pay off. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, June 21, 2023).

Choi brings prosecutor’s perspective to policing institute. At a time when police work is facing increased public scrutiny, Choi said he looks forward to leveraging his experience in prosecution to bring fresh ideas to the institute. (MinnPost, Minneapolis, MN June 12, 2023).

Our View: Justice: Change traffic stops to reduce racial targeting. Police departments across Minnesota should learn from changes made by some metropolitan police departments to their policies on traffic stops, which reduced unfair racial targeting and bettered public safety. (Mankato Free Press, Mankato, MN, June 9, 2023) .

St. Paul crime victims work with lawmakers on new juvenile justice concept. The funding officially moves to Ramsey County's account on July 1, at which point county commissioners say they will lead a process that fully involves the community in identifying properties and building up staff and treatment resources.  (WCCO-TV, Minneapolis, MN, June 8, 2023).

St. Paul reports safety improvements after year of revised traffic policing. New data released Wednesday shows that a Ramsey County policy to pull over and prosecute fewer people for minor traffic violations has had a positive effect on crime and on law enforcement's relationship with the community. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, June 7, 2023).

Black Drivers Were Pulled Over Less Often After a MN County Changed Its Policies. Black drivers experienced the largest decrease in these kinds of traffic stops, seeing a 66 percent drop in the number of stops per capita. (Vera Institute, Brooklyn, NY June 7, 2023)

Ending low-level traffic stops hasn't led to more crime in Ramsey County. Choi, St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry and other officials laid out an analysis by researchers funded by a local foundation comparing data on low-level stops before and after the changes that indicate the changes have not hurt public safety. (MPR, Saint Paul, MN, June 7, 2023).

Ramsey County top prosecutor appointed to national policing board. Ramsey County Attorney John Choi’s recent appointment to the National Policing Institute board appears historic — he’s the first elected prosecutor to serve in the role and the first to join while actively serving as a prosecutor. (Pioneer Press, Saint Paul, MN, June 2, 2023).

Ramsey County ready to launch new $10 million juvenile justice program. State lawmakers approved spending $10 million for a program that will help Ramsey County juveniles who have been involved with serious crimes get intensive counseling, mental health assistance, education and job training. (KSTP-TV, Saint Paul, MN, May 24, 2023).

AG joins Ramsey County attorney's review of Hmong man's shooting by St. Paul police. The addition of Attorney General Ellison to the review process adds a layer of trust and confidence to our process, and I am grateful for his office's involvement. – RCA Choi. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, May 16, 2023).

County attorneys, sheriffs say ‘last-minute’ change will gut 48-hour law. Sheriffs and county attorneys across Minnesota are urgently rallying against a proposed law change that they say would keep inmates with mental illnesses “languishing” in jails instead of receiving treatment from the state. (KSTP-TV, Saint Paul, MN, May 15, 2023).

Antoine Suggs sentenced to more than 100 years in St. Paul quadruple murder. Jessica Foreman, Loyace Foreman’s mother, was among nine family members who gave victim impact statements in court Monday. (Pioneer Press, Saint Paul, MN, May 15, 2023).

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi honored for work advocating for sexual assault victims. Choi was presented the Professional Impact Award this month at the International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Fighting for Change, an annual conference held by the nonprofit End Violence Against Women International. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, April 25, 2023).

Husband sentenced to life in prison in wife's 13-year cold case murder. In a packed courtroom, a Minnesota judge sentenced a man to life in prison without parole Thursday for the death of his first wife, 13 years after he shot her and lied to investigators that it happened during a home invasion. (ABC News, New York, NY, April 13, 2023).

Weeding out systemic bias: Prosecutors seek answers.  It’s one thing to have a panel discussion about eliminating bias in the criminal justice system; it’s another to have it populated by current and former prosecutors. (Minnesota Lawyer, Minneapolis, MN, March 2, 2023).

Ramsey Co. Attorney on his office's progress 'reimagining juvenile justice'. Under this new program, 30 percent of the juvenile cases referred to Choi’s office between July 2021 and July 2022 went through the collaborative review process. Serious crimes that involved physical harm or guns were not eligible for the program. (MPR, Saint Paul, MN, February 28, 2023).

Citing backlog of 3,800 DNA cases, law enforcement officials push for legislative support. Without support, officials say that the average time to clear evidence could balloon to 240 days by 2025. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, February 28, 2023).

DNA backlog at Minnesota crime lab spurs calls for more funding. Minnesota’s premiere crime lab, at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in St. Paul, has nearly 4,000 criminal cases waiting for analysis and has a 140-day wait for results. (MPR, Saint Paul, MN, February 28, 2023).

What my family learned after a St. Paul carjacking. Last year, around this time, a group of teenagers followed my wife and my daughter home on a weekday morning after she went to the local pharmacy. After my wife pulled into our garage, three teenagers rushed her with masks on, pointed a gun at her, and took her purse and keys. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, February 18, 2023).

Jury finds Nick Firkus guilty of the 2010 murder of his wife. Firkus was found guilty on one count each of first-degree and second-degree murder. His sentencing is set for April 13. (WCCO-TV, Minneapolis, MN, February 10, 2023).

Las Vegas man guilty of 8 counts of attempted murder in shooting at St. Paul's Truck Park. The verdict capped several days of emotional testimony by St. Paul police officers, relatives of victims and Phillips, who took the stand in his own defense. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, February 9, 2023).

Ramsey County officials urge legislators to fund housing program for juveniles who commit crimes. Each home would accommodate four or five youths and provide them with counseling and social services before helping to ease their transition back into life at home, offering support and resources to parents and families. (Pioneer Press, Saint Paul, MN, February 9, 2023).

Carjacking victim advocates for secure treatment homes. Patrick Connolly, whose wife was carjacked, joined Ramsey County justice leaders to ask lawmakers to fund juvenile treatment homes for violent teens. (KARE-TV, Golden Valley, MN, February 9, 2023).

Medical examiner's 34 years of work now under question. It's a scenario that seems out of a movie -- 71 autopsies in murder cases are under review because the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's work has come under question. (WCCO-TV, Minneapolis, MN, January 29, 2023).

White Bear Lake man fired at officers through bedroom door, striking one three times. “This case is an urgent reminder that we need meaningful investments and improvement in the services available through civil commitments to protect the public when people are a danger to themselves and others. -- Ramsey County Attorney John Choi. (Pioneer Press, Saint Paul, MN, January 26, 2023).

Guilty verdicts in doubt as Ramsey County reviews cases linked to ex-medical examiner. Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said his staff has worked with an outside firm to comb through hundreds of cases in which Dr. Michael McGee was a witness and has narrowed its review to 71 cases. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, January 21, 2023).

Amid red flags, Ramsey County has been reviewing work of its former medical examiner. The Ramsey County attorney has launched an outside review of the work of the county’s former, longtime medical examiner after a federal appeals court judge wrote that the doctor’s testimony was “unreliable, misleading and inaccurate” in the murder trial of the man convicted of killing Dru Sjodin in 2003. (Pioneer Press, Saint Paul, MN, January 18, 2023).

Ramsey County reviewing criminal cases after medical examiner’s trial testimony. Prosecutors in Ramsey County are reviewing more than 70 criminal cases after a federal judge widely criticized testimony from the county’s former medical examiner. (KSTP-TV, Saint Paul, MN, January 18, 2023).

Building Proximity & Empathy Through Experience. For too long, prosecutors have taken the position that we have no control over what comes to our door nor what happens to people once we have secured their conviction, including the collateral consequences imposed by the legal system because of our actions. (Fair and Just Prosecution, Washington D.C., January 18, 2023).

Ramsey County Attorney's Office determines use of deadly force justified in police shooting of Jesse Werling. The Ramsey County Attorney's Office determined that the use of lethal force was justified in the fatal police shooting of Jesse Werling, the gunman who fired over 100 rounds in a Roseville neighborhood last April. (WCCO-TV, Minneapolis, MN, January 4, 2023).