Minnesota Supreme Court blocks registration of acquitted kidnapping suspect as predatory offender
The Minnesota Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling that had permitted the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to list a man, cleared of kidnapping, as a predatory offender.
In St. Paul, the state’s highest court reversed an appellate decision that allowed the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to place an individual, who was only charged and later acquitted of kidnapping, on a predatory offender registry. The court held that forcing someone who was never convicted to identify as an offender violates due-process protections. The ruling emphasizes that registration requires a conviction, not merely a charge. Legal analysts note the decision could affect similar registries nationwide.
Why it matters
It clarifies that offender registries cannot label individuals without a conviction, protecting due-process rights.
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