After more than 100 years of prohibition: a suspect in the murder of a lawmaker and attempted murder of another may be executed in Minnesota
Kyiv • UNN
A man accused of murdering the former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives and her husband could be executed. This is the first such case in the state in over 100 years due to a change in federal policy.
In Minnesota, where the death penalty was abolished back in 1911, a man accused of murdering two influential lawmakers may face the ultimate penalty – execution. Although such a prospect is exceptionally rare for the state, with the new administration at the federal level, this could become a new norm. This is reported by UNN with reference to ABCNews.
Details
According to the publication, the man accused of murdering former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, as well as injuring Senator John Hoffman and his wife, could face the death penalty – a punishment that has not been applied in the state for over a hundred years.
Vance Boelter, who law enforcement officers detained after a large-scale operation, is currently in custody. Federal prosecutors have brought six charges against him, two of which potentially carry the death penalty.
Will we seek the death penalty? It is too early to say. It is one of the options
He also reported that the attack was carefully planned. Boelter stopped by the lawmakers' homes and had a list of potential targets, which included dozens of Democrats, even from other states.
Boelter is being held in the Sherburne County Jail, where federal suspects are typically held. His next appearance in federal court is scheduled for June 27. State prosecution is currently postponed.
Addendum
Minnesota abolished the death penalty back in 1911. The last execution was carried out in 1906 and ended in failure. But the situation has changed after the arrival of the new federal administration. In February, new Attorney General Pam Bondi overturned the moratorium on executions imposed by President Biden. Since then, prosecutors have sought the death penalty in three cases. And Boelter's case could be the fourth.
Federal authorities have taken the initiative, although Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty planned to bring charges on Monday. Instead of appearing in state court, Boelter was brought to federal court in St. Paul. This has likely caused a jurisdiction conflict. Moriarty, known for her stance on police reform, acknowledged: "there is tension," but added: "federal officials can speak for themselves."
Despite the intervention of federal prosecutors, Moriarty stated that she plans to continue pursuing the case at the state level and seek life imprisonment for Boelter without the possibility of parole.
Civil rights advocates warn that the case will be a challenge for federal authorities.
A jury in a state that has not applied the death penalty for over a century is not the same as a trial in Texas
Sometimes there is a natural competition between jurisdictions, but one must hope that ultimately they all face the same situation when it comes to something as important for public safety as this case
