Prosecutors in Minnesota’s Largest County Must Now Consider ‘Racial Identity’ in Plea Deals
28th April 2025
Prosecutors in Minnesota’s largest county are now required to take a criminal defendant’s race into account when negotiating plea deals, following a new directive from Hennepin county attorney Mary Moriarty (D.).
“While racial identity and age are not appropriate grounds for departures [from the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines], proposed resolutions should consider the person charged as a whole person, including their racial identity and age,” Moriarty’s directive reads, according to Minneapolis outlet KARE11. “While these factors should not be controlling, they should be part of the overall analysis.”
“Prosecutors should be identifying and addressing racial disparities at decision points, as appropriate,” Moriarty added, arguing that such disparities cause “distrust” and harm “community safety.”