Should appeal processes be vested in an elected county attorney?
In Minnesota, the county attorney has the discretion — and the final say — in whether any complaint in the county is addressed. The only problem is that in Minnesota, this county attorney is an elected official. My experience clearly shows that this is a formula for protecting lawlessness. My county attorney refused to address the issues I brought to her attention, not once, but twice. These involved discrimination by the police and alleged doctoring of police records. In Minnesota, the state provides no higher level of appeal. This same county attorney, however, a few months later did file charges against a prostitution ring on the second floor of the building adjacent to the police department. The local police miraculously escaped being part of the suit. I have been told that no attorney is going to go up against a municipality in Minnesota if they have political aspirations. Some attorneys in Minnesota do take on municipalities, but they know the chances of winning against a munic
