Madison Whose (AP) – Two court -appointed prosecutors on Wednesday denied accusing Wisconsin’s deputy sheriff of shooting a man sleeping in a park to death in 2016, and said they don’t believe they can win an argument in defense.
The decision reflects the DA’s conclusion a few years ago that Joseph Mensa was acting in self -defense when he shot Jay Anderson Jr., one of three people he shot to death in five years.
Mensa was a Wawatoza police officer at the time, but has since been a representative for the Wauxa district.
Milwaukee Special Attorney Scott Hansen and La Crosse District Attorney Tim Gruenke spent several months reviewing the case, consulting with judges and attorneys and even conducting mock trials with jurors and repeatedly found that they could not get past the subject. Ethical considerations prevent prosecutors from prosecuting cases they know they can’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt, Hansen said.
“We’re sorry we couldn’t treat these wounds, but that’s not the case, and that’s our conclusion,” Hansen told Judge Glenn Yamahiro as Anderson’s family watched from the courtroom.
Mensa Anderson, 25, fell asleep in a car in June 2016, hours later in Wawatoza Park. Mensa said he was shot after Anderson held a pistol in the passenger seat, while Milwaukee District Attorney John Chisholm refused to charge Mensa afterwards. That person. Chisholm also chose not to accuse Mensa He killed two other people.
Anderson’s family said Anderson gave up his weapon. Their attorney, Kimberly Motley, used vague legal maneuvers similar to a large jury survey to convince Milwaukee District Judge Glenn Yamahiro that it was enough. Probably reason to support Mensah refill. io In December, he appointed Hansen and Gruenke special prosecutors to review the case and file a complaint if deemed necessary.
Motley said Wednesday that Gruenke and Hansen were required by law to file a complaint because Yamahiro determined there was sufficient possible reason to justify the complaint.
“This law is put on the books … so that the court can retain that power, to prosecute the people … and to protect the victims, if the executive refuses and has not done its primary job to protect the victims ”Motley said. He says.
Yamahiro said he believes the paper only asked him to find a possible cause and begin an investigation. He said the defense was hard to beat and Hansen was right when he said prosecutors could not prosecute cases they knew they could not prove.
He sympathized with Anderson’s family, but said he did not expect to “dunk” the case against Mensa.
“I understand that people are disappointed,” the judge said. “I’m sorry, in this regard, it’s not a more satisfying result for them.
Mensahi joined the Wawwatosa Police Department in 2015. That year he shot Antonio Gonzalez to death, who prosecutors said refused to drop his sword. Mensa killed Anderson the following year. In 2020, he shot and killed 17-year-old Elvin Cole when Cole escaped from police following a riot at a shopping mall. Mensa said he shot as Cole handed him a gun. This hunt was followed by protests for months.
Chisholm said Mensa was not charged with Cole’s death, with evidence showing that Cole fled police with a stolen firearm, fired a gun while fleeing, and refused to drop his firearm at police command. .
Mensa is black, as are Anderson and Cole. Gonzalez was identified as a Native American.
Mensa resigned under pressure from the Wawatoza Police Department in 2020 and joined the Wauxes County Sheriff’s Department.
Source: Huffpost
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.