Prosecutors still weighing whether to seek death penalty for Vance Boelter
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Federal prosecutors say they’re still deciding whether to seek the death penalty for Vance Boelter.
Boelter is charged with killing former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and wounding State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, last June. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges, and appeared in federal court Friday in Minneapolis for a brief hearing.
Judge Dulce Foster asked prosecutors if they expect delays in the case, after several prosecutors resigned from the U.S. Attorney’s Office this winter over disagreements with the U.S. Department of Justice amid the ongoing federal immigration operation.
Those departures included former lead prosecutor Harry Jacobs. Foster said half the attorneys on the case have left the office.
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The remaining prosecutors said they don’t anticipate delays.
“We don’t expect any issues regarding staffing,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Forbes said at Friday’s hearing. “If the case goes to trial and additional resources will be needed, then additional resources will be added.”
He told the judge that prosecutors are still determining whether to seek the death penalty, and agreed to give an update at an April hearing.
Boelter’s attorneys said they’re processing a huge amount of evidence, including thousands of pages of documents, surveillance footage and interviews.
Boelter appeared in court, sitting between his attorneys in an orange jumpsuit. Family and friends of the shooting victims listened from the courtroom.
Boelter is due back in court in April for another status conference. A trial date has not yet been set.
