
Minnehaha County Courthouse. Photo from ujs.sd.gov.
SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO.com) — The Minnehaha County Public Defender’s Office is sounding the alarm over public trust in the justice system. That follows a mistrial declared last Friday after an ICE arrest at the county courthouse. Officials say the arrest happened in front of a witness’s wife and baby while jurors were on break. The judge immediately declared a mistrial. The Public Defender’s Office says the witness had been legally subpoenaed, and the person on trial is a U.S. citizen. They say courtroom arrests such as this one could scare witnesses away in future case, especially in immigrant communities.
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