Alleged Suppliers See Murder Charges In Heroin Overdose Case
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman called a news conference Wednesday morning to talk about the impact of heroin in the suburbs.
His office has charged 29-year-old James Butchee of Minneapolis with third-degree murder in connection to the July overdose of a Maple Grove man.
Authorities say Butchee sold the heroin to the victim's friend, 22-year-old Anthony Simon of Brooklyn Park.
Simon then gave the heroin to the victim. Simon has also now been charged with third-degree murder.
Authorities believe these murder charges can be a deterrent to heroin dealers and others.
"They know that these drugs may kill people, and the word gets out, that if you give drugs to somebody who misuses them and it kills them, we're looking for them. The cops are looking for them, and we are aggressively prosecuting," the county attorney said.
Freeman added that he doesn't think his officer has charged someone with third-degree murder for a heroin overdose until about three years ago.