The headline read, "Frey says bodycam footage 'galling'" (front page, Oct. 8).

And it was. But equally "galling" is that the Hennepin County Attorney's Office charged Jaleel Stallings with attempted murder and assault. The 29-year-old African American Army veteran rejected a plea deal from prosecutors that included a nearly 13-year prison term.

The prosecutors saw the video — so why did they pursue criminal charges against Stallings?

It would seem that how this decision was reached and what it might reflect about attitudes and competency of the department's leadership need evaluation. Mayor Jacob Frey's and City Council President Lisa Bender's responses focused on the police involved. Why were the transgressive actions of the prosecutors not censured in a similar fashion?

Paul H. Bearmon, Edina

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With both Mary Moriarty and Ryan Winkler vying to replace Mike Freeman as Hennepin County attorney, there is hope that a new county attorney will end the ridiculous waste of time and money that has gone on under Freeman's watch with prosecutors starting jury trials without having necessary witnesses. It happens so frequently and again just this week — though the prosecutor doesn't have necessary witnesses, a jury is assembled on Monday, questioned for two days, and then dismissed on Wednesday because the prosecutor still doesn't have necessary witnesses. Such a colossal waste of time and of money — there are plenty of cases ready for trial that are delayed because of this foolishness, and justice delayed is justice denied. No one's interests are served — not the courts, the attorneys, the citizens — by having to go through the motions of selecting a jury when the prosecutor doesn't have witnesses and evidence. A new county attorney will hopefully recognize this waste, because Mike Freeman hasn't figured it out in six terms.

Bryan J. Leary, Minnetonka

The writer is a public defender.

'STRONG MAYOR' AMENDMENT

'Elite white power grab'? In a word: No.

What was Lynnell Mickelsen thinking of when she said a strong mayor was the same as elite white power? ("'Strong mayor' plan mainly strengthens white elite," Opinion Exchange, Oct. 7.) It couldn't have been Mayor Melvin Carter in St. Paul. Or any number of other American cities with strong Black mayors. Her attack on the "strong mayor" proposal in Minneapolis City Question 1 is way off base. I'll follow Lori Sturdevant and vote "yes" on City Question 1 ("'Strong mayor' saga is a long story in Mpls.," Opinion Exchange, Sept. 19).

A vote for a strong mayor is a vote for good government that serves all people. It has nothing to do with elite white power.

John Christianson, Minneapolis

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What is Mickelsen's thinking process? She defends our weak-mayor government in Minneapolis by rationalizing that our mayor is somehow less worthy than he or she should be to execute the laws, as is the function of the executive branch, because the residents of affluent wards vote in higher percentages than those in poorer wards. In other words, the mayor doesn't represent the residents of the poorer wards enough because they don't vote. Couldn't that argument be turned around to imply that the council members from those wards are not as legitimately endorsed to govern as they should be because they are elected by a small number of residents? Doesn't that make them more susceptible to bad influences?

If there is a problem with the voting process, fix it. Remove barriers to voting, improve education to develop more responsible citizens, but don't concoct anti-democratic excuses.

D.C. Smith, Minneapolis

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