Family's wounds reopened by Hennepin County's case dismissals
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (KMSP) - More than 30 cases will be dismissed by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office after an investigation revealed an Eden Prairie officer lied about a search warrant.
32 cases means 32 families were affected by these dismissals.
The mother of one of those victims says she feels this one officer's actions impacts the entire system.
“Life was bigger with her in it,” said Maradee Lane. “It was bigger and it was bolder and I miss her.”
Photos remind Lane of her spunky daughter Maggie Lane, who died of an overdose last summer.
Her case is now brought back to light after a bombshell discovery.
Friday, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office held a press conference announcing 32 cases will be dismissed.
They are all cases involving Eden Prairie officer Travis Serafin, who was 2011’s “Officer of the Year.”
It all stems back to the 2017 investigation of Timothy Holmes, the man accused of supplying Maggie Lane the drugs that killed her.
The suspect was charged with drug possession and third-degree murder for selling the drugs that lead to another person’s death. The murder charge was later dismissed in a plea agreement in which he pleaded guilty to a drug charge. He was sentenced to six years in prison.
In court, Serafin claimed there was a “clerical error”, but his testimony raised suspicions, launching an internal investigation.
Now, Holmes, the man originally charged in Maggie’s death will likely be getting out of prison much sooner.
“Some people would say, ‘Well, aren’t you angry that he’s getting off on a technicality?” said Lane. “And I don’t think lying is a technicality.”
Lane says her frustration lies not with Holmes, but the officer entrusted to follow the law.
“Nothing will give me back my daughter, nothing,” Lane said. “But shame on you officer. Shame on you.”
Eden Prairie police say an administrative investigation is underway. The McLeod county attorney's office will be reviewing the case for any criminal charges.