MN Crime files suit against Rochester Police

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KTTC) — The Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings has agreed to hear a case filed by MN Crime against the Rochester Police Department alleging public records violations following the fatal crash in May near Apache Mall.

In a Facebook post, the multimedia network explained that the case involved a car crash in May in which a state police officer killed 18-year-old Olivia Flores and injured five others, and that the agency had refused to release the videos showing the accident.

Since the accident, the officer has been charged with numerous crimes. The investigation is being led by the Rochester Police Department.

Becca Chartier, director of MN CRIME, said the deadline for releasing these videos showing the accident had already passed.

“Our position on this issue is clear: When an officer uses deadly force, the public has a right to know about it,” Chartier said. “It doesn't matter if the deadly force comes from a bullet, a car or a knee – the law clearly states that the video must be released within 14 days.”

Chartier’s full statement is below:

“By taking the case, we have already crossed the threshold of probable cause required for a hearing. Our position on this issue is clear: When an officer uses deadly force, the public has a right to know about it. It doesn't matter if the deadly force comes from a bullet, a car, or a knee – the law clearly states that the video must be released within 14 days. We have a particularly strong case because the Rochester Police Department claimed in an affidavit that excessive force was used in the accident. For them to now say that 'excessive force' does not mean 'violence' is certainly a strange position.”

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