- DOJ initiates pattern or practiceprobe of Hennepin County Attorney's Office
- Policy requires race consideration during plea negotiations sparks legal battle
- Minnesota reforms mirror Minneapolis PD consent decree post-George Floyd
- Trump administration reviewing federal oversight of law enforcement agencies
The U.S. Justice Department has escalated tensions over criminal justice reform by launching a civil rights investigation into prosecutorial practices in Minnesota's largest county. At issue is Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty's directive instructing prosecutors to evaluate defendants' racial backgrounds during plea deal negotiations - a policy conservatives claim violates constitutional protections against racial discrimination.
This federal probe marks the latest chapter in Minnesota's ongoing reckoning with systemic inequities following George Floyd's 2020 murder. Moriarty, elected in 2022 as Minneapolis grappled with policing reforms, campaigned on addressing root causes of crime through data-driven approaches. Her office now faces scrutiny mirroring the Justice Department's investigation of Minneapolis police practices that resulted in a contested consent decree.
Legal analysts note the investigation's timing coincides with shifting federal priorities. While the Biden administration negotiated Minneapolis' police reform agreement in January 2024, President Trump's recent executive order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to reassess all active consent decrees. The Justice Department has already paused implementation of Minneapolis' police reforms pending review until May 21.
Regional criminal justice experts highlight three critical implications: First, local elections increasingly drive prosecutorial policy experiments. Second, federal oversight creates complex intergovernmental tensions. Third, Minneapolis serves as a national test case for balancing equity goals with legal safeguards. A 2023 University of Minnesota study found consent decrees improve community trust when paired with transparent metrics.
Hennepin County's predicament underscores broader national debates. Prosecutors in Philadelphia and Los Angeles face similar challenges implementing progressive reforms. As Moriarty's team prepares its defense, legal observers warn this case could redefine permissible uses of demographic data in criminal proceedings nationwide.
