Prof. Murray Interviewed by MPR Regarding Grand Jury Investigation in Castile Case

Professor JaneAnne Murray was guoted in an MPR News article relating to the grand jury investigation into the death of Philandro Castile as a result of a police shooting in the line of duty. She highlighted the grand jury's historically democratic and anti-despotic roots, but noted how the grand jury system has devolved into an "easy tool" for prosecutors to achieve the charges they are seeking. This issue is in sharp relief in cases involving police shootings, because the target of the investigation is so often the prosecutor's client in other cases. As she pointed out, in most cases, it's officers who do the investigative work for prosecutors. So, when an officer is the target, Prof. Murray explained, "[t]here's an inherent conflict of interest in that . .. and that's why people want to see a more transparent process rather than a secret grand jury process."