Court reverses murder conviction of Deandre Dontae Turner over trial errors
- Deandre Dontae Turner was convicted of second-degree murder for the death of Andrew T. McGinley during a vigil in June 2021.
- The Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed Turner's conviction on the grounds of evidentiary errors and prosecutorial misconduct.
- Turner will face a new trial, emphasizing the significance of ensuring a fair trial in the justice system.
In 2021, a shooting occurred at a vigil in north Minneapolis, where Deandre Dontae Turner was accused of fatally shooting Andrew T. McGinley. Following a tumultuous trial in 2023, where the state built its case primarily on questionable witness testimony and poor surveillance footage, Turner was convicted of second-degree intentional murder and sentenced to over 27 years in prison. However, the Minnesota Court of Appeals, led by Judge Jeanne Cochran, later determined that Turner had been denied a fair trial due to significant evidentiary errors, including misleading witness statements and a lack of corroborating evidence regarding his alleged gang affiliations. As a result, the case has been remanded to the district court for a new trial, with concerns raised about the integrity of the original proceedings and the prosecution's approach. This ruling highlights the complexities of ensuring justice and the importance of fair trials, particularly in cases involving violent crime and potential gang involvement.