Family of Minneapolis woman slain in domestic violence case demands changes to police response

Family members of Mariah Samuels and their supporters rallied Thursday in Minneapolis to demand more thorough investigation of domestic violence reports following her murder, which has exposed systemic lapses in how police respond to those cases.

Wearing a shirt reading “Justice for Mariah,” Salina Owens said she believes her sister would still be alive if her case had been handled differently.

“She cried out for help, and we are here to be her voice to say that the system failed her, all the way from the Minneapolis Police Department to the parole office department,” Owens said. “We are here to demand justice starting from the head where it resides.”

Samuels, 34, was shot and killed in September outside her north Minneapolis home. David Wright, an ex-boyfriend, has been charged with killing her and is facing one count of second-degree murder.

Three weeks before her murder, Wright pistol-whipped Samuels, threw her against a fence and grabbed her by the throat, according to allegations she made in a no-contact order. A surveillance camera captured video of the assault.

But an investigator was never assigned to that assault, one of the findings in an investigation of her murder by the Minnesota Star Tribune.

About 30 people attended Thursday’s news conference, where speakers demanded changes and criticized city leaders for not having systems in place to prevent Samuels’ murder.

Police say the Lussier case remains unsolved because her manner of death could not be determined, though there are ongoing investigations into her death and the police response.

In response to the Star Tribune story, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has ordered a thorough review of the department’s handling of Samuels’ case and is directing all officers to be retrained on domestic violence protocols by the end of 2025.

O’Hara said during a news conference Thursday night that Samuels’ murder has “shined a harsh light on an ugly truth” about low staffing as a factor in the case. He said the department “must triage our response to and investigations of” violence, meaning that police must prioritize which cases are immediately assigned to an investigator.

“This is not an excuse, but it is the reality,” O’Hara said. “We simply do not have the staffing levels we once did.”

With the process that was in place, O’Hara said, it wasn’t appropriate to assign an investigator in August after Samuels’ assault. The chief said crimes that involve in-custody suspects are prioritized; if there were more investigators, he said, one could have been assigned to the Samuels case.

But the chief also said there are “gaps” that he and the department are working to address. That includes requiring officers to ask victims of restraining order violations if they feel safe and “take all reasonable steps necessary to ensure the victim’s safety” if they don’t.

Speakers on Thursday were critical of both O’Hara and Mayor Jacob Frey. who has oversight of the MPD. Jess Sundin, an activist with Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, called on Frey to join in efforts to reform the city’s domestic violence response.

The mayor, Sundin said, is “the one civilian with power over the police department, he’s the one person who could change things. We need him to change things.”

Sundin said she believes the department should allow other investigators or officers to be assigned to domestic violence cases.

“The whole police force should be available, but they’re not,” she said. “But they’re not there to protect us, and especially to protect women, and especially Black, Native and other disadvantaged women.”

He also discussed the difficulties created with an understaffed police force. “Inadequate staffing of police and investigators is a disservice to victims, and it’s why I’ve been clear that we need to hire more,” Frey said.

Following the rally, Samuels’ supporters packed the courtroom for Wright’s appearance. Tensions ran high before the hearing began, with verbal sniping back and forth between members of the gallery and Hennepin County Sheriff’s deputies on hand to provide security.

As Wright was leaving, he turned and hurled an expletive at Samuels’ family members. The room exploded with curses raining down on Wright as a deputy pushed him out of the courtroom.

Later Thursday afternoon, Hennepin County Commissioner Irene Fernando held a news conference with several nonprofit leaders who focus on reducing domestic violence.

Artika Roller, executive director of Cornerstone Advocacy Services, a program that helps connect victims of domestic violence with help, noted the deaths of Samuels and Lussier and demanded changes.