Questions are being raised after Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s office moved to dismiss charges against a 20-year-old man suspected of leading Minneapolis police a chase that turned deadly in 2021.
James Jones-Drain was scheduled to stand trial in Hennepin County this week on charges of auto theft and fleeing an officer, resulting in death. Moriarty's office announced Friday those charges had been dropped citing “an inability to prove all of the charges beyond a reasonable doubt at this time.”
It was July 2021 when former Minneapolis police officer Brian Cummings ran a red light and smashed into a Jeep driven by Leneal Frazier, who died. Frazier was the uncle of Darnella Frazier, who captured the viral video of the killing of George Floyd.
Cummings was pursuing a stolen vehicle at the time of the crash. He later pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular homicide and was sentenced to 270 days in the Hennepin County Workhouse.
"We thought we did have proof beyond a reasonable doubt," Moriarty told WCCO Television regarding the charges against Jones-Drain. "As the investigation has gone on, we just don't have enough evidence right now."
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Frazier's family, along with police, are questioning the decision to drop the charges.
"It's difficult for the family and the officers to see that Officer Cummings through court accepted responsibility and pled guilty," said Imran Ali, general council for the Minneapolis Police Union. "Now, we don't have that same on the other side."
Jones-Drain remains in custody on charges related to a string of robberies and gun possession.
He's scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.