Ramsey County ends felony prosecutions from low-level stops

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Ramsey County Attorney John Choi says he will no longer prosecute felony charges arising from most low-level traffic stops. He said Wednesday that it’s time to change a practice that has disproportionately impacted generations of minority communities. He says the new policy does not apply to situations that create a public safety hazard or when a vehicle is stopped because of a dangerous condition. Stops for issues such as a broken tail light or expired license tabs can sometimes have fatal consequences. In 2016, Philando Castile was pulled over for a broken tail light. He was fatally shot after he told an officer he had a gun.