DOJ investigating Hennepin County over charging policy taking race into account for plea deals

The U.S. Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation into the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office after it directly prosecutors to take race into account when negotiating plea deals with criminal defendants. 

Attorney General Pam Bondi, Acting Associate Attorney General Chad Mizelle and Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon wrote a letter to the Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty informing her about the probe.

The DOJ said the county "engaged in a pattern of practice of depriving persons of rights, privileges or immunities secured or protect by the Constitution or laws of the United States." 

According to the county's charging policy for plea deal negotiations, racial identity "should be part of the overall analysis" and prosecutors "should be identifying and addressing racial disparities at decision points, as appropriate."