Minnesota Supreme Court Overturns Murder Conviction For Somalian Refugee Who Killed White American Woman In 2017
Justine Damond Ruszczyk was shot and killed by then-police officer Mohamed Noor in 2017. (Linkedin/ABC News)
On Wednesday, the Minnesota Supreme Court overturned former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor’s third-degree murder conviction for fatally shooting Justine Ruszczyk while responding to her 911 call.
The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to support the conviction and ordered that he be sentenced on the lesser charge of second-degree manslaughter.
Due to current time served, Noor, a Somalian immigrant, may be eligible for release from prison this month.
>> Order your “Anti Biden Social Club” t-shirt here!
This ruling supersedes a previous appeals court decision in February against Noor that opened the door to reinstating a third-degree murder charge against former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted in April on state murder charges in George Floyd’s death.
Former Chief Hennepin County Public Defender Mary Moriarty stated that she does not believe the judgment will alter Chauvin’s case because his second-degree murder conviction has not been reversed. According to state sentencing guidelines, Chauvin was only sentenced on the most serious allegation of second-degree murder.
Ruszczyk’s ex-fiancee is ‘deeply saddened’ by the decision.
Noor’s lawyers and family applauded the decision in a statement.
“They have had a long journey; now fairness has been delivered to a person who is a devoted to his community,” the statement said, quoting their client as stating “with hardship comes ease” and that he hopes to hug his kid as soon as possible.
“We have always maintained that this was a tragic case, and we are grateful for an exceptionally well-reasoned and unanimous opinion from this State’s highest court.”
>> Order your “Anti Biden Social Club” t-shirt here!
According to the Minnesota Supreme Court decision, a person’s mental state must demonstrate a “generalized indifference to human life, which cannot exist when the defendant’s conduct is directed with particularity at the person who is killed” in order for a third-degree murder conviction, also known as “depraved-mind murder,” to stand.
The evidence in Noor’s case was “insufficient to sustain his conviction … for depraved-mind murder.” the court ruled.
Noor was sentenced to 12 years in jail in June 2019 on third degree murder charges.
His current second-degree manslaughter charge carries a jail sentence of up to ten years.
In April 2019, the 33-year-old Somali American was convicted of third-degree murder and manslaughter in the 2017 killing of Ruszczyk, who had moved from her native Australia to Minneapolis to live with her fiancé.
>> Order your “Anti Biden Social Club” t-shirt here!
In a statement, Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman expressed disappointment with the ruling. He called Noor’s conviction for second-degree murder “just” and stated that “we will seek the maximum sentence possible.”
Don Damond, Ruszczyk’s former fiancé, said in a statement that the decision to reverse a conviction “deeply saddened” left him and his family “in the needless and reckless murder of Justine.”
“In many ways, this has felt like a double blow against justice,” he remarked.
“My hope and work since Justine’s death has been to try to prevent a further loss of life at the hands of stressed and inadequately trained police officers. The Minneapolis Police Department has not made any meaningful progress towards transformation. And now Noor is not being held accountable for killing my (fiancée) … It truly feels like there has been no justice for Justine.”
Noor said at trial that he was concerned for his partner’s life.
During Noor’s trial, his lawyer contended that a “perfect storm” of events led to him opening fire on Ruszczyk on the night of July 15, 2017, after she called 911 to report a suspected assault in an alley behind her Minneapolis house.
>> Order your “Anti Biden Social Club” t-shirt here!
As Ruszczyk approached their squad car in the dark, deserted alley, Noor testified that he feared for his partner’s life. However, prosecutors in Hennepin County said Noor overreacted and failed to properly assess the scenario before firing a round into Ruszczyk’s belly.
Noor apologized to Ruszczyk’s family and promised to remember her every day.
According to prosecutors, Noor was sitting in the passenger seat when he drew out his gun and shot across the vehicle, striking Ruszczyk outside the driver’s side door.
Noor testified that seeing Ruszczyk with her hand raised and his partner’s scared look pushed him into action. Although he could not see a pistol in the woman’s hand, he was concerned that his partner might be shot as she raised her hand, he claimed.
Ruszczyk’s death garnered great notice in both the United States and her home country of Australia.
