Ramsey County Attorney John Choi is expected to announce that his office has finished conviction reviews in six of seven criminal cases tied to retired Ramsey County medical examiner Dr. Michael McGee. Choi has scheduled a news conference for 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in St. Paul to walk through the findings and what happens next.
County launched yearslong review after court criticism
Choi ordered a multi-phase review after federal and appellate rulings raised alarms about McGee’s work, including a court order that labeled his testimony in Dru Sjodin-related litigation “unreliable, misleading and inaccurate.” According to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, the review has relied on outside partners to scrutinize autopsy findings, written reports and trial records.
Independent review screened hundreds of cases
The Prosecutors’ Center for Excellence, hired by the county to do an initial sweep of McGee-involved cases, reported that its Phase 1 review screened 214 files and flagged 18 as high-priority for deeper expert analysis. From there, the county narrowed the list to seven homicide cases for intensive review by expert panels, and local reporting indicates conviction reviews are now complete in six of those seven. According to the PCE Phase 1 report, the 214 files made up the initial screening universe, while KARE 11 has reported that six of the seven targeted cases have now been fully reviewed.
Reversals that spurred the probe
The county’s deep dive follows a string of reversals and resentencings tied to disputed medical testimony. The Minnesota Attorney General’s Conviction Review Unit vacated or reduced several convictions, including the decision that led to Thomas Rhodes’ release in January 2023, according to the AG’s report on Rhodes. A 2011 ruling also raised serious questions about McGee’s conclusions in another case. Appellate criticism of McGee’s testimony in the Dru Sjodin litigation further fueled calls for a broader look. CBS News covered the 2011 Hansen decision, and MPR News reported on the Rodriguez appellate finding tied to the Sjodin case.
Experts, outside reviewers to weigh disputed findings
Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the county’s plan call for outside forensic pathologists and other subject-matter experts to recheck autopsies, lab testing and trial testimony to determine whether McGee’s opinions lined up with the science. The Great North Innocence Project has said it will take part in later phases of the effort, according to the Great North Innocence Project, and the county plans to convene independent panels of examiners for the most intensive reviews, as reported by the Star Tribune.
Legal implications
If experts conclude that McGee’s medical opinions materially affected the outcome of a case, prosecutors could seek to vacate convictions, ask for new sentencing or refer matters to state-level reviewers for further action. Since his release, Thomas Rhodes has filed a civil lawsuit against McGee, underscoring the potential civil fallout that can follow criminal case reversals. The county says it is working with state partners to balance victims’ interests with defendants’ rights throughout the process, a coordination effort outlined on its Ramsey County case-review page.
Choi is expected to detail the county’s findings and any immediate actions at the 11 a.m. news conference in St. Paul, where reporters will be able to press for specifics. KARE 11 first reported that the office had completed six of the seven conviction reviews.
