Clay County Attorney Against Minnesota’s Deadly Force Bill

The Clay County Attorney comes out against a bill to create a special commission to review cases where police use deadly force.

The bill was introduced after Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman declined to press charges against officers in the Jamar Clark case.

Clay County Attorney Brian Melton says the bill would create needless red tape.

He also says the five-person commission, which would include three members of the public, may not have the experience needed to handle cases involving officers.

“To me the bill is a non-starter,” Melton says. “It’s not well-conceived or well thought out. Really, to me, it’s a senator that’s taking something and taking a situation and really trying to pander to one constituency, and that to me doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
 
Melton says he doesn’t think the bill will make it into law.