Judge rules on motions in Fong Lee case

by Brandt Williams, Minnesota Public Radio

U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson has ruled on several pre-trial motions filed in the Fong Lee wrongful death case.

St. Paul, Minn. — The ruling comes just days before the wrongful death trial begins against Minneapolis police offficer Jason Anderson next week.

Anderson shot and killed the 19-year-old Lee, in 2006. He and a state patrol officer say Lee was carrying a weapon. Lee's family denies that.

Judge Magnuson's ruling allows the city to introduce evidence of Fong Lee's gang activity. Lee's family wanted to exclude that. But the Judge will not allow gang testimony to play a role in calculating any potential damages to the family.

The ruling limits the expert testimony called by the Lee family lawyers.

Judge Magnuson said an expert who reviewed a security video tape of the chase and shooting and concluded that Fong Lee was not carrying a gun, may not give that testimony.

The judge's order also prevents opinion testimony from a medical examiner.

Magnuson granted the city's request to exclude information about officer Jason Anderson's pre-employment psychological examination. Also, the judge will not allow testimony about alleged racial remarks officer Anderson made.