Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty says local prosecutors aren't backing down on state charges against an ICE agent who was freed from jail last week in Texas.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty says local prosecutors aren't backing down on state charges against an ICE agent who was freed from jail last week in Texas.
Castro was arrested in May in Texas, but was released on Friday after a Texas judge ruled Gov. Greg Abbott did not have to release Christian Castro despite an extradition order from Moriarty and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.
Moriarty says her team is keeping his state warrant active and banking on a judge to eventually force Abbott's hand on the extradition paperwork after multiple delays.
"You know, the judge just didn't tell us in Texas how much time Abbott had to complete what he was claiming he was doing, which is an investigation on whether Castro actually fit the definition of a fugitive," Moriarty said Monday. "Although the court in its opinion actually said the court was doubtful that that was going to be any kind of barrier to extradition."
The Department of Justice has not yet brought charges over the incident, despite reports last week they were considering charging Castro after shooting an immigrant in the leg in Minneapolis last January. Castro faces four felony assault counts and one count of falsely reporting a crime.
Moriarty says that Castro could flee justice, but confirms her office will still pursue state charges either way.
"This was a minor setback, obviously, but we still are optimistic that at some point here the court is going to make Abbott, or order Abbott, to actually sign that paperwork," Moriarty added.
She said that this case will not deter her office from prosecuting the ICE officers involved in the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
