ST. PAUL, Minn. (trfnews.i234.me) — A Minnesota medical examiner accused of delivering false or misleading reports may have played a key role in sending innocent people to prison, according to a legal team reviewing seven murder cases. Dr. Michael McGee, who served as the Ramsey County medical examiner from 1985 to 2019, is now at the center of a sweeping investigation into his work on these high-profile cases.
The investigation follows a federal judge’s ruling that McGee’s testimony in the 2003 murder trial of Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., convicted for the kidnapping and murder of North Dakota college student Dru Sjodin, was unreliable. The judge accused McGee of “guessing” on the witness stand and providing opinions not based on scientific evidence.
The review, initiated in 2021, aims to determine whether wrongful convictions were based on McGee’s autopsy reports, which a federal judge described as “unreliable, misleading, and inaccurate.” Prosecutors said McGee’s work has cast doubt on several convictions, including those involving long sentences for murder.
“We need to ensure the integrity of these convictions,” Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said, emphasizing the importance of trust in the justice system.
McGee’s role in another wrongful conviction is also under scrutiny. Thomas Rhodes, who spent 25 years in prison for the 1996 death of his wife, Jane Rhodes, saw his murder conviction vacated in 2023. McGee had testified that Rhodes deliberately drowned his wife, but new forensic evidence revealed her death may have been accidental.
The legal team reviewing McGee’s work will reexamine seven murder cases, hiring independent medical examiners to assess whether the convictions should be overturned or sentences reduced. The investigation spans decades of McGee’s work, with 215 cases under review before narrowing it down to those most affected.
The potential fallout from McGee’s involvement could be vast, as legal experts warn of the lasting harm caused by false testimony in criminal cases. Jim Mayer, legal director of The Great North Innocence Project, called the situation alarming, stating, “This is not just smoke—we’re seeing the fire. The question now is how far it’s spread.”
As the investigation continues, the families of victims and those convicted based on McGee’s testimony await answers that could reshape Minnesota’s legal landscape.