Minnesota BCA sends Philando Castile case to prosecutor

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has turned over its findings in the July 6, 2016 officer involved shooting of Philando Castile to the Ramsey County Attorney's Office for review. The BCA will continue to work with the county attorney as needed on this open investigation.

Philando Castile, 32, was shot and killed by St. Anthony Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez during a July 6 traffic stop on Larpentuer Avenue in Falcon Heights, Minn.

Castile’s girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, captured the aftermath of the shooting in a Facebook Live video. In the video stream, Reynolds says they were pulled over for a broken tail light. She says Castile let Officer Yanez know he had a permit to carry a firearm, and that he was reaching for his ID and wallet when he was shot.

Statement from Ramsey County Attorney

"Our office will work as efficiently as possible, while ensuring we conduct a diligent and thorough prosecution review of the BCA investigation, in order to determine what justice requires in this case. At this time, we are in the process of engaging national use-of-force consultants to assist in our prosecution review and evaluation of the BCA investigation. Also, it is very likely that we will be requesting further investigation from the BCA, as is typical in these types of cases.

"On August 2, 2016, I met with the Castile family and shared details with them on how we will proceed with our prosecution review and our intention to be diligent and thorough in our work.

"We cannot provide an estimated timeline for our work until we review the entire investigative file and meet with national use-of-force consultants. Our engagement of such expert consultants will begin as early as tomorrow. By way of reference only, in the case of the officer-involved shooting incident of Jamar Clark in Hennepin County, the prosecution review took a total of seven weeks."

Castile family attorney responds

Castile family attorney Glenda Hatchett told Fox 9 these cases take time, and “we are very interested in this being a thorough investigation. Hatchett said she would prefer a decision from Choi himself -- not a grand jury -- but said there are pros and cons to either choice and “that is a decision he will make.”

Grand jury or direct prosecution?

On Friday, July 29, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi added Minneapolis attorney Don Lewis as a special prosecutor in the case. Choi said he and Lewis will review the case together, and that Lewis will be “substantially involved” in the future decision of whether to not to present the case to a grand jury.

"In order to bring criminal charges against a police officer for using deadly force in the line of duty, Minnesota law requires the State to be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the use of force was not justified," Choi wrote in a Sept. 6 public letter. "If the grand jury determines charges are warranted in this case or this office makes that decision, I assure you that we will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law."

Timeline of Philando Castile shooting

JULY 6, 9 PM - Officer-involved shooting in Falcon Heights, Facebook video shows aftermath

TRANSCRIPT - What Diamond Reynolds and Officer Jeronimo Yanez said in Facebook video

JULY 7, 5:30 PM - Thousands gather outside St. Paul school to pay respect to Philando Castile

JULY 7 - Students remember Castile as 'Mr. Phil'

JULY 7, 10 AM - Governor: 'Justice will be served in Minnesota'

IN-DEPTH - Minnesota's permit to carry law and how it applies to Philando Castile

JULY 7, 9:50 PM - Police officers identified in fatal shooting of Philando Castile

JULY 8, 10:30 AM - Prosecutor considering grand jury in Philando Castile shooting

JULY 9 - Cop's lawyer: Broken tail light 'not the only reason' for traffic stop

JULY 9, 8 PM - Protest shuts down Interstate 94 in St. Paul

JULY 12 - St. Anthony police data show disproportionate black arrests