Hennepin County Attorney defends policy, declining gun charges from some low-level traffic stops

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty defended her Non-Public-Safety Traffic Stops charging policy as police leaders said it is preventing prosecution of offenses like illegal gun possession.

Moriarty spoke with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS for the first time after law enforcement criticism tied her policy to public safety concerns and teen gun violence. About a year ago, her office released the policy, saying prosecutors would no longer file charges in most cases stemming from what’s been referred to as non-public-safety traffic stops, such as expired license plate tabs, tinted windows or an extinguished taillight.

“This policy is important because going way back, actually to like 2018-2019, MPD, the Minneapolis Police Department, released some data when I was at the public defender’...