MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal prosecutors in Minneapolis have moved to drop felony assault charges against two Venezuelan men, including one who was shot in the leg by an immigration officer. The decision follows revelations of new evidence that seriously undermine the validity of the government's initial claims.
In a filing on Thursday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota highlighted that the ‘newly discovered evidence’ showed material inconsistencies with the allegations laid out against Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna and Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis. The government’s motion requested the judge to dismiss the charges ‘with prejudice,’ thereby preventing them from being brought up again.
This dismissal comes amidst public concern and scrutiny of law enforcement tactics during immigration enforcement. Past events, including high-profile shootings involving federal immigration agents, prompted critical examination regarding claims justifying the use of deadly force. The integrity of numerous cases linking protestors to assaulting or obstructing federal officers has been similarly compromised.
The incident that spurred the current legal battles occurred on January 14, when immigration officers allegedly attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Aljorna. After a crash, the ensuing chase led to a physical struggle between Aljorna and an officer, during which Sosa-Celis purportedly intervened.
Accounts differ significantly regarding the events leading to Sosa-Celis being shot. While authorities claim he and another person assaulted the officer, the defense relies on eyewitness testimonies and video that challenge this narrative. The defense argued that the officers' accounts were not confirmed by corroborating evidence from witnesses or video footage.
As tension around immigration enforcement rises, some governmental officials have leveraged these incidents to criticize local leaders. For example, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem previously used this shooting incident in a statement asserting that Minnesota's leadership enables assaults on law enforcement.
According to attorneys representing the defendants, the entire prosecution hinged on the testimony of the immigration officer who opened fire. They maintained that neither Aljorna nor Sosa-Celis had prior violent records and were engaged in non-threatening occupations as DoorDash delivery drivers.
Following the confrontation, Aljorna and Sosa-Celis retreated into a residence, where they attempted to barricade themselves until tear gas deployment led them to surrender to law enforcement, significantly raising questions about federal approaches in such tense situations.
