Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty response to Department of Justice comments on prosecution of Abdimahat Mohamed

Yesterday’s DOJ press release is a clear attempt to politicize a sexual assault prosecution to inflict further harm on our entire Somali community. We know this is a political stunt because we are well aware of the DOJ’s track record on violence against women under the current administration.

Those who actually prosecute sexual assault cases every day know there are significant evidentiary hurdles to obtaining a prison sentence that incapacitates the defendant so that they can’t inflict more harm in the community.

This office overcame the loss of critical witnesses to secure felony convictions against Mr. Mohamed earlier this year. Because our case was substantially weakened, we could not get the prison sentence we wanted. Losing witnesses is one of the realities of prosecuting difficult sexual assault cases, something about which the current Justice Department knows little.

While the DOJ performs politics at the expense of victims, our office provides actual support to victims every day by upholding victims’ rights, providing culturally responsive and trauma-informed services, and prioritizing victims’ safety and needs.

The current federal administration is more adept at pardons for violent insurrectionists and drug traffickers than prosecutions. If they intend to start caring about public safety and victims, we recommend they end their coverup of pedophiles and those who protect them.

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