Board again denies parole for man convicted in 1970 murder of officer James Sackett Sr.
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Minnesota’s Supervised Release Board has again denied parole to a man convicted in the ambush murder of St. Paul Police Officer James Sackett Sr. The board’s meeting on Friday marked the fourth time that Ronald Reed, 76, appealed for his release.
Julie Sackett was 14 months old on May 22, 1970 when a sniper’s bullet killed her father. She was too young to remember him.
“All I have is photos,” Sackett said in a phone interview with MPR News on Friday.
Officer Sackett had responded to an emergency call about a pregnant woman in distress at Hague Avenue and Victoria Street, about a half mile from the governor’s residence, but there was no emergency.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
Investigators said that Ronald Reed had lain in wait with a .30-caliber rifle and fired at Sackett from across the street. Prosecutors said that Reed, who is Black, wanted to impress the national leadership of the Black Panthers by killing a white police officer.
The case sat dormant for decades until reporting by KSTP-TV led investigators to reopen it. In 2006, a Ramsey County jury convicted Reed of first-degree murder and conspiracy.
A judge sentenced Reed to life in prison, but because he was tried under the law in place at the time of the killing, Reed became eligible for parole after serving less than 17 years.
The Sackett family did not have the opportunity to testify at the Friday hearing. But Julie Sackett said that each time Reed is up for parole, they and hundreds of their law enforcement allies write letters to urge the board to keep him incarcerated.
“I don’t think that it’s fair that anyone that murders somebody should ever be released from prison, let alone a police officer,” Sackett said. “In this case, he murdered a police officer by ambush, lured them to the scene of the crime, and shot them on purpose.”
With one of the five members absent, the board deadlocked 2-2 on Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell’s motion to deny Reed parole. Under the board’s rules, Schnell broke the tie.
Speaking by video link from the Lino Lakes prison, Reed called the move political; Schnell said the Sackett family’s wishes drove his decision.
“Can you tell me why you’re taking this hard-line position?” Reed asked.
“I think I made it clear my position, and it was victim and public sentiment,” Schnell replied.
While Julie Sackett, her mother, siblings and other family members watched the hearing by video, many of Reed’s supporters appeared in person.
Melvin Carter II, a retired St. Paul police officer and father of former Mayor Melvin Carter III, was among them. The elder Carter is a rare voice in the law enforcement community calling for Reed’s freedom.
One of the department’s first Black officers, Carter joined the force several years after the murder. He’s known Reed since grade school. After Friday’s hearing, Carter said that his friend is no threat to public safety and has changed for the better.
“When that crime happened, he was 19 years old,” Carter said. “It’s time to let him go. In terms of being a burden on taxpayers, how much does it cost to keep a person in prison now? We’re just keeping him in there because we gotcha. And that’s what the system has done to Black people forever.”
Carter also questions whether Reed got a fair trial; Reed maintains his innocence.
The Minnesota Supreme Court reversed the murder conviction of Reed's co-defendant Larry Clark in 2008. Clark later reached a plea deal with prosecutors on a less serious charge and was released.
Sackett said that her large extended family, which now includes many nieces, nephews, and grandchildren, will never let her father’s legacy fade.
“My father was a kind man, a loving man. He loved the community, and that’s why he responded to this phone call. He responded to this call to help a woman in distress. And what did he get, and what did we get? A life sentence,” Sackett said.
Reed’s next chance to petition for his release is in early 2028. Sackett said that she and her family will keep fighting to keep him in prison.
