Parole denied again for Ronald Reed, convicted of 1970 ambush killing of Officer Sackett

Minnesota's Supervised Release Board has denied parole for the fourth time to Ronald Reed, 76, convicted of murdering St. Paul Police Officer James Sackett Sr. in 1970.

Minnesota board blocks release of man jailed for 1970 police ambush killing

Minnesota's Supervised Release Board has again refused parole to Ronald Reed, 76, convicted of the 1970 ambush murder of St. Paul Police Officer James Sackett Sr., mprnews.org reports. Friday's hearing marked the fourth time Reed has appealed for release.

Julie Sackett was 14 months old on 22 May 1970 when a sniper's bullet killed her father. She was too young to remember him.

"All I have is photos," she told MPR News in a phone interview on Friday.

Officer Sackett had responded to an emergency call about a pregnant woman in distress at Hague Avenue and Victoria Street, roughly half a mile from the governor's residence. Investigators said no emergency existed — it was a lure.

Investigators determined that Reed had lain in wait with a .30-calibre rifle and fired at Sackett from across the street. Prosecutors argued that Reed, who is Black, sought to impress the national leadership of the Black Panthers by killing a white police officer.

The case sat dormant for decades until reporting by KSTP-TV prompted investigators to reopen it. In 2006, a Ramsey County jury convicted Reed of first-degree murder and conspiracy. A judge sentenced him to life in prison, but because he was tried under the law in force at the time of the killing, Reed became eligible for parole after serving fewer than 17 years.

With one of the five board members absent, the panel deadlocked 2-2 on Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell's motion to deny parole. Under the board's rules, Schnell broke the tie.

Speaking by video link from Lino Lakes prison, Reed called the outcome political. Schnell said the Sackett family's wishes drove his decision.

"Can you tell me why you're taking this hard-line position?" Reed asked during the hearing.

"I think I made it clear my position, and it was victim and public sentiment," Schnell replied.

The Sackett family did not have the opportunity to testify at Friday's hearing. Julie Sackett said that each time Reed comes up for parole, she, her family, and hundreds of law enforcement allies write letters urging the board to keep him incarcerated.

"I don't think that it's fair that anyone that murders somebody should ever be released from prison, let alone a police officer," Sackett said. "In this case, he murdered a police officer by ambush, lured them to the scene of the crime, and shot them on purpose."

While Julie Sackett, her mother, siblings, and other family members watched the hearing by video, many of Reed's supporters appeared in person. Among them was Melvin Carter II, a retired St. Paul police officer and father of former Mayor Melvin Carter III. The elder Carter is a rare voice within the law enforcement community calling for Reed's freedom.

One of the department's first Black officers, Carter joined the force several years after the murder. He has known Reed since grade school. After Friday's hearing, Carter said his friend poses no threat to public safety and has changed for the better.

"When that crime happened, he was 19 years old," Carter said. "It's time to let him go. In terms of being a burden on taxpayers, how much does it cost to keep a person in prison now? We're just keeping him in there because we gotcha. And that's what the system has done to Black people forever."

Carter also questions whether Reed received a fair trial; Reed himself maintains his innocence.

The Minnesota Supreme Court reversed the murder conviction of Reed's co-defendant Larry Clark in 2008. Clark later reached a plea deal with prosecutors on a less serious charge and was released.

For the Sackett family, the case remains deeply personal. Julie Sackett said her extended family — now including many nieces, nephews, and grandchildren — will not allow her father's memory to fade.

"My father was a kind man, a loving man. He loved the community, and that's why he responded to this phone call. He responded to this call to help a woman in distress. And what did he get, and what did we get? A life sentence," she said.

Reed's next opportunity to petition for release comes in early 2028. Julie Sackett said she and her family will continue fighting to keep him incarcerated.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)