Suspect in police death drew map to kill witness
Published 9:25 am Wednesday, January 14, 2015
ST. CLOUD — Prosecutors said a man accused of killing a Mendota Heights police officer asked another prison inmate about having two witnesses against him killed.
Jury selection is underway in the trial of Brian Fitch Sr. Fitch is charged with killing Officer Scott Patrick July 30 during a traffic stop.
Prosecutor Phil Prokopowicz said Tuesday that Fitch asked the inmate to kill witnesses who had identified Fitch as the driver of the car that Patrick pulled over.
Prokopowicz said Fitch passed the other inmate a hand-drawn map to one of the witnesses’ homes.
A defense attorney said with the trial underway, there was no time to properly review the evidence. But the judge would not delay the trial.
Two jurors, both men, were selected Tuesday.