Posted by on February 17, 2022 2:18 pm
Tags:
Categories: News Washington Examiner

Officer who killed Amir Locke accused of ‘constitutional rights’ violations in prior raid

Ryan King February 17, 02:10 PMFebruary 17, 02:10 PM

Lawyers for the family of Amir Locke claim the officer who shot him earlier this month previously violated the constitutional rights of another suspect during a prior raid.

Last year, a judge concluded officer Mark Hanneman “illegally searched” an individual in St. Paul who was not the target of the search warrant being executed, according to a Wednesday report from KSTP. The judge dismissed drug possession charges against that man last July due to Hanneman’s actions.

Video Embed

AMIR LOCKE’S COUSIN ARRESTED IN CASE THAT LED TO FATAL NO-KNOCK POLICE RAID

“The information about Officer Hanneman serving as an FTO appears to be the latest example of how bad practices continue to be passed down to new officers in departments like Minneapolis,” the Locke family lawyers said in a statement. “While our investigation is in the very early stages, we believe these facts are important for the public to be aware of as we continue to analyze the many long-standing systemic failures of the MPD and the actions of the responsible parties who caused Amir Locke’s death.”

Hanneman, while working for the Minneapolis Police Department SWAT team, executed the search in November 2020. The reasons behind the search are unclear, but the St. Paul man, who was in one of the rooms being searched, was not the target, according to court documents obtained by the outlet. A Hennepin County judge determined Hanneman gave the man, who did not pose a threat, an illegal pat search, which revealed the man had illegal drugs in his pockets. Officers also found an illegal gun in his car.

The judge waived charges against the man due to the illegal search.

Lawyers for Locke’s family also said a “judgment was entered” against Hanneman in 2015 for engaging in another illegal search and seizure. The MPD failed to discipline him sufficiently after the alleged violations, and he remained a Minneapolis field training officer as recently as last year, according to the lawyers.

“This finding is also consistent with media reports that, under the current MPD administration, the MPD continues to demonstrate a pattern of promoting officers with serious disciplinary histories,” the lawyers said.

Hanneman was put on administrative leave following the shooting of Locke.

On Feb. 2, as part of an investigation into a Jan. 10 shooting, a SWAT team conducted a no-knock raid on an apartment in pursuit of Mekhi Speed, a 17-year-old cousin of Lock. Lock, 22, was in the apartment at the time and had his gun out as the SWAT team entered the room, according to body camera footage. He was not the target of the warrant, but he was fatally shot, the video showed. Speed was subsequently arrested and faces two counts of second-degree murder charges.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

News of Locke’s death sparked protests in Minneapolis and St. Paul. A funeral service for Locke was held Thursday at the Shiloh Temple International Ministries. It featured a eulogy from civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton.

The MPD did not respond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner.

Originally appeared at Washington Examiner