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Longtime Washington County Attorney Pete Orput died Sunday at age 66.

 saying he died at home, surrounded by family. A county spokesperson told MPR News on Monday that Orput died after a brief battle with cancer.

State Sen. Karin Housley, whose district includes a large part of Washington County, said Orput had told her last week that he’d been diagnosed with Stage 4 stomach cancer.

“The people who live and work in Washington County lost more than a county attorney,” Brent Wartner, first assistant county attorney, said in a county news release. “They lost a champion of public safety, a guardian, a fierce advocate for justice — and a dedicated public servant.”

Orput had served as the east metro county's top prosecutor since 2011. He announced in January that he would not seek reelection to a fourth term this year. The 

 that Orput also had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2020. 

Before becoming Washington County Attorney, Orput was an assistant county attorney in Hennepin, Mille Lacs, Carver and Dakota counties. He also worked for the state Department of Corrections and for the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, and served on Minnesota's Sentencing Guidelines Commission.

Earlier in his career he was a high school history teacher, after serving in the Marines. 

Orput drew attention last year after initially charging former Brooklyn Center police officer Kimberly Potter with a single charge of second-degree manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright — a decision that 

prompted protesters to rally outside his home

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's office later 

 of first-degree manslaughter, and Potter was found guilty on both counts.

 on Monday sharing his condolences with Orput’s family, saying he was “a respected public servant.”

“He dedicated his career to pursuing justice for all. He was kind and compassionate and a straight shooter,” Ellison wrote. “He was a great partner and will be missed.”

Among other high-profile cases, Orput's office also handled the 

 for fatally shooting two teenagers who broke into his Little Falls home in 2012.

Orput was among county attorneys in Minnesota who 

pushed for lawsuits against the manufacturers and distributors of opioid medications

, to recoup the costs of dealing with the addiction crisis. He also focused on cracking down on human trafficking.

And he was an advocate for veterans' courts, in which people charged with crimes related to their military service can avoid convictions if they go through treatment.

 that at the time, 40 people had gone through the veterans court in Washington County and all had remained crime-free.

"It's a path to redemption, that's what I focus on," he said. "And you don't get redeemed if you walk out of court with a felony."

Orput is survived by his wife Tami, six children and six grandchildren.

Minnesota News

Crime, Law and Justice

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MPR News Staff

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Orput had served as the east metro county's top prosecutor since 2011. He announced in January that he would not seek reelection to a fourth term this year.

Orput had served as the east metro county's top prosecutor since 2011. He announced in January that he would not seek reelection to a fourth term this year. He had endured a brief battle with cancer. 

Washington County Attorney Pete Orput dies at age 66

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