One year after 14-year-old Pauviera Linson was found dead in her St. Paul home from an overdose of codeine and methadone, two men who gave her the drinks spiked with the drugs at a party in Burnsville were charged in Dakota County District Court. They were charged Friday not with her death but with third-degree drug possession and furnishing alcohol to a minor.
Jacob R. Sawyer, 20, of St. Paul, and Robert C. Kibble, 26, of Farmington, were charged by summons, meaning they have not yet made initial court appearances. They were arrested by St. Paul police a year ago and released pending autopsy results on the girl.
Representatives of the Dakota and Ramsey County attorneys' offices explained Friday why the men did not face more serious charges.
Dakota County Attorney's office spokeswoman Monica Jensen said that because the girl died in another county, Dakota County could only bring charges regarding the drug possession and underage consumption in Burnsville. More serious charges would have to come from Ramsey County, she said. Dakota County Attorney Jim Backstrom could not be reached for comment.
Dennis Gerhardstein, a spokesman for the Ramsey County Attorney's office, said St. Paul police presented the case to his office after autopsy results were issued last September.
"We declined murder charges because we did not have enough evidence to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt," Gerhardstein said. "What it comes down to is: Can you prove this in a court of law? Our answer was no."
Another source with knowledge of the case said Ramsey County had jurisdiction over the death but prosecutors could not prove that either man knew the drinks they gave the girls contained methadone. The codeine cough syrup alone probably wouldn't have killed her.
According to the charges filed Friday, St. Paul police were called to the girl's home the morning of Aug. 6, 2012. Pauviera was pronounced dead at the scene.