Latest news with #MaryMoriarty
Washington Post
7 hours ago
- Washington Post
Minnesota prosecutor seeks to overturn man's 1998 murder conviction after a witness confesses
A Minnesota prosecutor said Tuesday she will seek the release of a man imprisoned 27 years for murder after a key witness has recanted her testimony and told authorities she committed the crime. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said she supports the effort by attorneys for Bryan Hooper Sr. who are asking for a judge to vacate his conviction.
The Independent
7 hours ago
- The Independent
Minnesota prosecutor seeks to overturn man's 1998 murder conviction after a witness confesses
A Minnesota prosecutor said Tuesday she will seek the release of a man imprisoned 27 years for murder after a key witness has recanted her testimony and told authorities she committed the crime. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said she supports the effort by attorneys for Bryan Hooper Sr. who are asking for a judge to vacate his conviction. At a press conference, Moriarty apologized to Hooper's adult daughter, Bri'ana Hooper, saying, 'I understand at the same time, 'sorry' doesn't bring back those 27 years. What we're doing today, though, I hope is the beginning of getting your father out of prison.' Moriarty was not with the office in 1998. Hooper now 54, was convicted by a jury at trial in 1998 of premeditated murder, felony murder while committing burglary and felony murder while committing kidnapping in connection with the death of Ann Prazniak, 77. He received three life sentences with the possibility of release after 30 years. He is in prison in Stillwater. The woman who prosecutors say has confessed is in prison in Georgia for an assault-related crime and will be released in about four years. Moriarty said attorneys will sort through the filing of charges against her after seeing which judge is assigned Hooper's case and trying to get him released as quickly as possible. Moriarty said the woman expects to be charged with murder and 'knows exactly what she's getting into here.' Police found Prazniak's body in April 1998 in a cardboard box wrapped with Christmas lights in a closet in her Minneapolis apartment — her ankles, nose, mouth, wrists and head bound and her body wrapped in garbage bags, blankets and bedding. Her cause of death was ruled asphyxiation, and she died two weeks to a month before police found her body, according to court documents. Moriarty said her office's Conviction Integrity Unit was reviewing Hooper's case when officials learned the state's star trial witness had come forward in late July on her own to recant her testimony against Hooper and to confess to killing Prazniak and concealing her body. Bri'ana Hooper, who has advocated for her father's release, lamented 27 years of missed birthdays, holidays, milestones and lost opportunities. 'But today we don't have to lose," she said. 'We have an opportunity to shed light and use my father's story to shed light on the other people who are sitting behind bars for crimes that they did not commit," she said. Her father has maintained his innocence. Attorneys for the Great North Innocence Project, representing Hooper, filed a petition to vacate his conviction. A judge would have 90 days to make a decision on that, Moriarty said. Project Legal Director Jim Mayer said, 'A strong criminal legal system is not one that insists on its own infallibility. A strong system is one that faces up to and confronts its failures, fixes its mistakes and works to repair the harm that's been caused. We are taking a small step down that road today, but let's acknowledge that we still have a long way to travel.' Jailhouse informants who implicated Hooper also recanted their testimony long ago, Moriarty said. In 2020, a judge granted Hooper's request to vacate two of three first-degree murder charges after he argued he was wrongly convicted and sentenced for three counts of first-degree murder against the same person. ___
Associated Press
7 hours ago
- Associated Press
Minnesota prosecutor seeks to overturn man's 1998 murder conviction after a witness confesses
A Minnesota prosecutor said Tuesday she will seek the release of a man imprisoned 27 years for murder after a key witness has recanted her testimony and told authorities she committed the crime. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said she supports the effort by attorneys for Bryan Hooper Sr. who are asking for a judge to vacate his conviction. At a press conference, Moriarty apologized to Hooper's adult daughter, Bri'ana Hooper, saying, 'I understand at the same time, 'sorry' doesn't bring back those 27 years. What we're doing today, though, I hope is the beginning of getting your father out of prison.' Moriarty was not with the office in 1998. Hooper now 54, was convicted by a jury at trial in 1998 of premeditated murder, felony murder while committing burglary and felony murder while committing kidnapping in connection with the death of Ann Prazniak, 77. He received three life sentences with the possibility of release after 30 years. He is in prison in Stillwater. The woman who prosecutors say has confessed is in prison in Georgia for an assault-related crime and will be released in about four years. Moriarty said attorneys will sort through the filing of charges against her after seeing which judge is assigned Hooper's case and trying to get him released as quickly as possible. Moriarty said the woman expects to be charged with murder and 'knows exactly what she's getting into here.' Police found Prazniak's body in April 1998 in a cardboard box wrapped with Christmas lights in a closet in her Minneapolis apartment — her ankles, nose, mouth, wrists and head bound and her body wrapped in garbage bags, blankets and bedding. Her cause of death was ruled asphyxiation, and she died two weeks to a month before police found her body, according to court documents. Moriarty said her office's Conviction Integrity Unit was reviewing Hooper's case when officials learned the state's star trial witness had come forward in late July on her own to recant her testimony against Hooper and to confess to killing Prazniak and concealing her body. Bri'ana Hooper, who has advocated for her father's release, lamented 27 years of missed birthdays, holidays, milestones and lost opportunities. 'But today we don't have to lose,' she said. 'We have an opportunity to shed light and use my father's story to shed light on the other people who are sitting behind bars for crimes that they did not commit,' she said. Her father has maintained his innocence. Attorneys for the Great North Innocence Project, representing Hooper, filed a petition to vacate his conviction. A judge would have 90 days to make a decision on that, Moriarty said. Project Legal Director Jim Mayer said, 'A strong criminal legal system is not one that insists on its own infallibility. A strong system is one that faces up to and confronts its failures, fixes its mistakes and works to repair the harm that's been caused. We are taking a small step down that road today, but let's acknowledge that we still have a long way to travel.' Jailhouse informants who implicated Hooper also recanted their testimony long ago, Moriarty said. In 2020, a judge granted Hooper's request to vacate two of three first-degree murder charges after he argued he was wrongly convicted and sentenced for three counts of first-degree murder against the same person. ___ Dura reported from Bismarck, North Dakota.
CBS News
9 hours ago
- CBS News
Hennepin County attorney calls for court to vacate 1998 murder conviction
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty says she is announcing a petition to vacate a 1998 murder conviction. This story will be updated.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Feral teen repeatedly freed by 'America's wokest DA' before killing girl, 11, in crash is finally charged with homicide
A Minnesota teen accused of killing a girl in a car crash in February - who had initially been freed by America's most lenient prosecutor - has finally been charged in connection with the 11-year-old's death. Conner Michael Iversen, 18, even allegedly went on to commit yet another heinous act days later, a violent stabbing, marking his third alleged offense in under three months. Iversen was charged with criminal vehicular homicide in the February 26 death of Lilyana Loycano after initially being let off the hook by Hennepin County District Attorney Mary Moriarty. Moriarty, a career public defender before becoming district attorney, has faced mounting criticism for her soft-on-crime approach, often prioritizing leniency over public safety. She appears to have changed her tune after the case was brought back to her office's attention in mid-July. 'After this case was submitted to our office in mid-July, we conducted a thorough review and are confident in our charging decision,' she said in a statement. 'Lilyana should still be with her family. This terrible incident serves as another reminder of the devastating impact dangerous driving has on our communities.' On February 26, at approximately 8 a.m., he allegedly ran a stop sign at the intersection of County Roads 6 and 110 in Independence, T-boning an SUV carrying the Loycano family. Lilyana, 11, was critically injured and died two days later. Still, he was able to walk free. Just 48 hours after Lilyana's death, Iversen allegedly stabbed a man at Theodore Wirth Parkway and Olson Highway in Golden Valley on February 28. The victim, who had attempted to help Iversen by offering him a ride, suffered stab wounds to the leg and facial injuries after being struck with a large stick, according to a criminal complaint. Police later tracked Iversen to a nearby maintenance building, where he had allegedly broken in and was found covered in blood and scratches. Before authorities located Iversen, investigators suspect he may have broken into a home in the Hidden Lakes neighborhood, stolen an e-bike, and attempted to enter several other residences. 'Golden Valley is currently investigating multiple burglaries possibly connected to Iversen,' the complaint noted. 'This was surprising because Golden Valley is a real quiet community — you don't see these things happen often and when they do it kind of alarms people,' said Golden Valley Police Chief Virgil Green. Despite his alleged pattern of violence, it took multiple offenses before he was finally jailed — only after public outrage. Since taking office, Moriarty has repeatedly faced backlash for decisions that prioritize leniency over justice. In her first week in office, she dismissed charges against a 35-year-old man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl due to a legal technicality, preventing him from ever being retried. She also pushed for probation instead of prison for Jesse Lietzau, whose fentanyl-laced pills killed 25-year-old Kailey Caspersen, leaving her grieving mother demanding justice. In the case of Stephen Markey, a man gunned down during a carjacking, Moriarty offered one of the teenage killers just five years of probation, meaning he may never serve a single day in prison. Despite repeated pleas from victims' families and public officials — including Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison — Moriarty has refused to change course. Even when Governor Tim Walz intervened to remove her from a case involving a brutal home invasion murder, she remained defiant. 'I stand by my decisions,' Moriarty told the press, dismissing public concerns as mere 'pushback.' Only after multiple crimes, including the fatal crash and brutal stabbing, has Iversen finally been held. Her originally not charging Iversen despite his seemingly reckless disregard for the law has sparked further outrage. Iversen's alleged criminal history is lengthy. On December 16, 2024, authorities said he led police on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph while recklessly weaving through traffic. Witnesses reported that the driver was recklessly disregarding traffic laws, illegally passing in a no-passing zone, speeding, using the shoulder to overtake vehicles, and swerving erratically across the road. He was eventually stopped with police spike strips and arrested, but was still allowed to walk free. Iversen remains in jail in lieu of $100,000 bail ahead of a court appearance on September 8.
