Ramsey County Attorney’s Office narrows review of ‘unreliable’ medical examiner to 7 murder cases
The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office has narrowed its review of old criminal convictions involving embattled former medical examiner Dr. Michael McGee.
The long and tedious review started with more than 200 cases but has been narrowed down to just seven murder cases that will get another look.
“We need to have a further review by medical experts about these cases,” said John Choi, the Ramsey County Attorney. As part of the final phase, the county attorney’s office will work with the Prosecutors’ Center for Excellence (PCE) and will hire three independent medical examiners from around the country to review McGee’s findings.
“I do want to caution and say simply because there are seven cases, we have rendered no opinion on whether these cases are good, bad, or indifferent. We are not there yet,” said Kristine Hamann, executive director of PCE.
Choi first launched the extensive review back in the fall of 2021 after a scathing ruling from a federal judge that laid out McGee’s pattern of false and misleading testimony. That ruling led to the killer in the Dru Sjodin case getting off death row.
Following that ruling, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office announced in early 2023 that it would toss the murder conviction for Thomas Rhodes. He ended up serving more than 20 years in prison, due in large part to McGee’s testimony.
He spoke to 5 INVESTIGATES after being released in February 2023.
“McGee’s testimony has been replayed in my mind thousands of times,” Rhodes said.
The Great North Innocence Project pushed for Rhodes’ release and is now assisting Ramsey County with its review.
“This is a case where we are beyond the smoke phase. We have seen the fire, which is why we’re all standing up here,” said Jim Mayer, Legal Director of the GN Innocence Project. “The question is, how far the fire has spread, what additional damage might be out there, and how do we mitigate that harm?”
When asked what happens next, Choi said everything is on the table once he receives the recommendations from the experts.
“Whatever justice requires us to do,” he said. “I’m absolutely committed to accepting that without fear or favor.”