Oct. 11: Minneapolis will refund 167 PhotoCop fines

By Tim Harlow, Star Tribune

Last update: October 16, 2007 - 1:13 PM

The city of Minneapolis has said it will not appeal a court ruling that ordered it to cancel tickets and give refunds to 167 drivers cited when cameras caught their vehicles running red lights.

The ruling handed down last week in Hennepin County District Court said the 167 vehicle owners should be reimbursed the amount of their fines -- $142 -- and have the offense removed from their record because the Minnesota Supreme Court deemed "PhotoCop" illegal.

In the PhotoCop system, installed in 2005, cameras videotaped vehicles that went through intersections after the traffic light has turned red.

The court ruled this spring that the program violated state traffic laws and found that ticketing the owners of cars videotaped without proof of who was at the wheel violated vehicle owners' rights.

The city said its decision not to appeal applies only to the 167 drivers who contested their convictions. It is not clear if the city will be forced to repay another 15,000 to 20,000 drivers who were ticketed and already have paid their fines.

Matt Laible, a city spokesman, said that because a judge has not ordered refunds to those people, none will be paid at this time. He said the city is awaiting the results of a suit filed in federal court that seeks class-action status for all vehicle owners who received tickets.

Out of each $142 ticket, the fine itself totals $67. The city receives 80 percent of that, $53.60, Laible said. The rest of the fine, as well as the other charges, go to the state. That amount is $88.40.

JOY POWELL AND TIM HARLOW

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