Cop who shot Fong Lee charged with domestic assault

Last update: June 16, 2009 - 5:50 AM

The Minneapolis police officer who was cleared by a civil jury of wrongdoing in the shooting death of 19-year-old Fong Lee has been charged with misdemeanor domestic assault.

Jason Thomas Andersen, 32, was arrested Sunday morning by Big Lake police and charged Monday with one count of fifth-degree domestic assault, said Sherburne County Attorney Kathleen Heaney. He pleaded not guilty, she said, and a county jail official said he was released after his court appearance.

Fred Bruno, Andersen's lawyer, said the female in the incident was also charged with misdemeanor assault.

Minneapolis police spokesman Jesse Garcia confirmed that the man arrested is the same Andersen who shot Lee in 2006. Garcia would not comment further, except to say he did not believe Andersen has been put on leave from his job.

Lee's family argued that Andersen used excessive force when he shot Lee eight times during a foot chase, but the federal jury hearing a wrongful death suit decided last month that the officer acted within the law. In court, much of the argument hinged on whether Andersen reasonably believed Lee was armed and feared for his life.

Andersen has a pretrial hearing set for July in the domestic assault case, Heaney said, adding that she didn't know details of the case.

SARAH LEMAGIE,

ROCHELLE OLSON

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