Shortly after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday, city leaders began looking into whether the officer had violated state criminal law.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said, “We collectively are going to do everything possible to get to the bottom of this, to get justice, and to make sure that there is an investigation that is conducted in full.” Police Chief Brian O’Hara followed up by saying that the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is “investigat[ing] whether any state laws within the state of Minnesota have been violated.”
If they conclude that state law has been violated, the question is: What next? Contrary to recent assertions from some federal officials, states can prosecute federal officers for violating state criminal laws, and there is precedent for that.
Ehh kind of. But, you know, nullification is when the laws say they’re guilty but the jury says no. Typically because the laws are unjust. But there’s an opposite where the laws might say they’re innocent, but the jury says guilty because the laws are also unjust.
Yeah, still sounds like mob justice. Not disagreeing with the mob in this case mind you.
Yeah, true. Too much jury nullification of any sort means you’re systems are failing. Not good for a society.