Justice Dept. Investigates Minnesota Prosecutor Office Over Race Policy
Justice Dept. Investigates Minnesota Prosecutor Office Over Race Policy

The department’s civil rights division said it was investigating the Hennepin County prosecutor’s office over a policy telling staff members to be mindful of “racial disparities” in plea negotiations.
Read the full article on NY Times Politics
Truth Analysis
Analysis Summary:
The article appears mostly accurate, with the core claim of a Justice Department investigation into the Hennepin County prosecutor's office supported by multiple sources. However, the article's framing, particularly the phrase "racial disparities" and its implications, introduces a moderate level of bias. Some details require further context to fully assess, but the provided sources generally corroborate the main point.
Detailed Analysis:
- Claim:** The Justice Department is investigating the Hennepin County prosecutor's office.
- Verification Source #3: Supports this claim directly.
- Verification Source #2: Provides context about the Civil Rights Division's role in investigating law enforcement agencies.
- Verification Source #4: Shows the DOJ has investigated other issues in Minneapolis.
- Claim:** The investigation is over a policy telling staff members to be mindful of "racial disparities" in plea negotiations.
- Verification Source #3: Supports this claim, mentioning language about race in the context of Minnesota sentencing guidelines.
- Verification Source #1: Provides context that the Minnesota Department of Human Rights has investigated racial issues in Minneapolis.
- The phrase "racial disparities" can be interpreted in different ways, potentially introducing bias depending on the reader's perspective. The article doesn't provide specific details about the policy's wording, which could contribute to a biased interpretation.
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
- Verification Source #3: "Department of Justice investigating Hennepin County Attorney's office over new race policy" directly supports the core claim.
- Verification Source #3: Mentions the context of the policy relates to Minnesota sentencing guidelines and upward/downward departures, providing more detail.
- Verification Source #2: Provides general information about the DOJ's Civil Rights Division and its role in addressing police misconduct and policies, supporting the plausibility of the investigation.
- Verification Source #4: Shows that the DOJ has investigated civil rights violations in Minneapolis before, further supporting the plausibility.
- Verification Source #1: Shows that the Minnesota Department of Human Rights has investigated racial issues in Minneapolis.
- There are no direct contradictions among the sources. The main limitation is the lack of specific details about the policy's exact wording and the DOJ's specific concerns, which could contribute to potential bias in interpretation.