Michael Orville Freeman (born May 7, 1948) is an American attorney and politician who served as the county attorney for Hennepin County from 2007 to 2023.[1] While in office, he was the official responsible overseeing several high-profile criminal cases of excessive police force, including several unlawful killings by law enforcement officers. Freeman filed criminal charges against Derek Chauvin and three other Minneapolis police officers responsible for the murder of George Floyd in 2020, before the Minnesota Attorney General's office took over the case.
Early life and education
Freeman was raised and educated in Minneapolis before moving to the Washington, D.C. area when his father joined the cabinet of President John F. Kennedy. He is a graduate of Maryland's Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School.[2] Freeman received a Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University in 1970 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1974.[3] He is the son of Jane Shields and Orville Freeman, who was a Minnesota governor and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under presidents Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.[4]
Career
A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, Freeman was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1982, representing the old District 40, which included the city of Richfield and a portion of Bloomington in Hennepin County. He was re-elected in 1986, serving as Majority Whip during his second term (1987–1991). He was also vice chair of the Finance Committee from 1987 to 1991, and of the Economic Development and Commerce Committee from 1983 to 1986. He also chaired the Economic Development Subcommittee from 1983 to 1986.[3]
Freeman was elected Hennepin County Attorney in 1990, serving until 1999. He ran for county attorney again in 2006 after incumbent Amy Klobuchar opted to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mark Dayton, and he was elected by a wide margin.[1]
Freeman ran twice for governor of Minnesota. In 1994 he lost the DFL Party endorsement to John Marty. Marty was later defeated in the general election by incumbent Governor Arne Carlson. In 1998 he won the DFL Party endorsement but lost the primary election to Skip Humphrey, who went on to lose the general election to Jesse Ventura.[1]
In 2019, Freeman took a short leave of absence to enter a treatment program for alcohol addiction.[5]
On September 1, 2021, Freeman announced that he would retire at the end of his term after 24 years in the role.[6]
Police brutality cases
As County Attorney, Freeman has notably dealt with several police brutality cases. Freeman filed charges against Mohamed Noor for the shooting of Justine Damond,[7] but declined to charge the officers involved in the shooting of Jamar Clark[8] or the shooting of Thurman Blevins.[9] However, police body camera footage confirmed that Blevins had in fact fired gunshots at the officers before they returned fire.[10][9][11]
Derek Chauvin case
In 2020, Freeman filed charges similar to Noor's against officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd.[12] In the wake of the George Floyd killing, a group launched a petition drive to have Freeman recalled.[13] On September 11, 2020, Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill banned Freeman and three of his staffers from working on the cases against the former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd's murder, including State v. Chauvin.[14] The ruling related to a meeting some staff lawyers had with the Hennepin County medical examiner, a likely witness in the case, which allegedly violated the rules of professional conduct for attorneys.[14] Nevertheless, Freeman still played a vital role in Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's prosecution team that would successfully secure Chauvin's conviction on April 20, 2021, providing "strategic advice and coordination" to other Hennepin County attorneys who served on the team.[15]
Other Cases
CeCe McDonald case
Freeman was the prosecutor for noted black trans activist CeCe McDonald where she was prosecuted for manslaughter after stabbing a man with multiple violent felonies who had nazi tatoos. Freeman argued that the nazi tattoos were irrelevant and prejudicial. CeCe took a plea deal rather than face the possibility of a long jail term despite the fact that she and her advocates claim self defense.
References
- ^ a b c "Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Legislator Record - Freeman, Michael O". Leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
- ^ Huey, Pamela (November 20, 2013). "Minnesota's Freeman family watched historic tragedy unfold from up close". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, MN.
- ^ a b "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 22, 2011. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Stout, David (February 22, 2003). "Orville Freeman, 84, Dies - 60's Agriculture Secretary - Obituary; Biography". The New York Times. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
- ^ "Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman to enter alcohol treatment". May 17, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
- ^ "Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman won't seek re-election". Star Tribune.
- ^ Furber, Matt; Smith, Mitch (March 20, 2018). "Minneapolis Officer Charged With Murder in Australian Woman's Death". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
- ^ "No Charges in Hennepin County for 2 Minneapolis Officers in Jamar Clark Shooting". KSTP. March 30, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "What we know about the decision not to charge two MPD officers for killing Thurman Blevins. And where things go from here". MinnPost. July 31, 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
- ^ "Minneapolis police video shows an armed Thurman Blevins running, pleading not to be shot". Star Tribune.
- ^ "Breaking down the bodycam video: The Blevins shooting timeline". Star Tribune.
- ^ "Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman faces new challenge in case against former Minneapolis police officer". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
- ^ "George Floyd's family applauds charges against four fired Minneapolis officers". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "Judge disqualifies Mike Freeman's office for 'sloppy' work in George Floyd case". Star Tribune. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- ^ "Minnesota Attorney General Ellison News Conference on Chauvin Verdict | C-SPAN.org".