More On The Interesting Past Of Andrew Neal, Suspected In Shooting Of A Minneapolis Police Officer And, Ironically, Now Confirmed To Be A Former Police Informant...

Facebook photo, used under First Amendment Fair Comment and
Criticism, blog post by John Hoff

The Star Tribune has now confirmed something JNS blog suspected and wrote about days before...Andrew Neal, who is STRONGLY suspected in the wounding of a Minneapolis police officer, is a former police informant.  

Gun, Ammo Found? 

The criminal complaint document against Neal, posted on the Hennepin County Attorney's website, mentions police actually found a handgun and two magazines in the yard next door to the house where Neal was found hiding, and the weapon is being "forensically analyzed." JNS wouldn't bet a bag of stale peanuts against the likelihood of Neal facing murder charges, albeit I suspect these will be second degree murder charges. 

Messy Tale Of A Police Informant 

My previous story re-published the "fact sections" of a case in which Andrew Neal was involved as an informant concerning the murder of Juwan "Wheaty" Gatlin, a member of the Mickey Cobras gang. Now another court document, put in front of me by a reader and commenter, has further information about Andrew Neal's involvement with Gatlin murder case...



Once again, I am going to simply replicate the "fact sections" of that document for readers and cut out the extensive dry legal arguments. If you want the original document, here it is linked once again. 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA

Demetrius Gatlin,

as Trustee for the Estate of Juwan Gatlin

v.

Sergeant Michael Green, et al.

Juwan Gatlin, a Minneapolis resident, cooperated with law enforcement authorities, giving them information about unsolved crimes, including Anthony Dawson's murder, committed by members of the Mickey Cobra street gang. On August 7, 1998, Juwan Gatlin was murdered. 

(JNS blog notes: The yellow highlighting is in the original document and trying to change it in my template only makes the problem worse)

   Demetrius Gatlin, Juwan Gatlin's widow and trustee, filed this lawsuit against Minneapolis Police Sergeant Michael Green and the City of Minneapolis, alleging violations of state and federal law. She claims the defendants engaged in wrongful conduct, which led to Juwan Gatlin's death. 

(JNS blog asks: The "widow" is named "Demetrius?" I am confused. But the document says what it says)

   On May 29, 1997, more than a year before Juwan Gatlin's death, Anthony Dawson, a member of the Gangster Disciples street gang, was murdered. Early police investigation led to the arrest and charge of two individuals identified by eyewitnesses. 

   In June, 1997, while in custody on unrelated aggravated robbery charges, Mr. Gatlin contacted the police and told them he had information about the Dawson murder. Gatlin told police he wanted to provide information, but he didn't "want to put mine [sic] out there without, you know, I'm down here on some garbage." He told the police, and his attorney at the time, n4 that he wanted a deal on his robbery charge in exchange for the information.

   On June 22, 1997, Gatlin gave the Minneapolis police officers a recorded statement while at the Hennepin County Jail. He told Sergeants Green and Carlson that Mickey Cobra gang members Arthur K. Hurd and Mitchell Lamont Douglas committed the Dawson murder. Gatlin gave detailed information about the killing and the location of key physical evidence, including the murder weapon and clothing worn by the shooters. He also provided information about other unsolved gang-related crimes, and detailed the organization and structure of the Mickey Cobra street gang.

     Gatlin understood the implications of his statement. He told the officers that after 25 years as a Mickey Cobra he intended to leave the gang lifestyle behind. He said he was willing to wear a wire, or to testify, but would need help leaving the Twin Cities to protect his safety. The officers told Gatlin they could not negotiate a deal, but that they would speak with the Hennepin County Attorney. Some time later, Gatlin was released from custody and absconded. He was subsequently apprehended and incarcerated until the disposition of his robbery case. 

   On March 17, 1998, Gatlin testified before the Hennepin County Grand Jury concerning the Dawson murder. On April 15, 1998, Arthur Hurd was arrested, indicted on charges of First Degree Murder, and detained in the Carver County Jail. 

   On May 20, 1998, Gatlin was sentenced in Hennepin County District    Court for armed robbery. The Court stayed his 150 month presumptive sentence, and gave him 3 years probation in recognition of his assistance in the Dawson case. As a condition of probation, the Court ordered him to remain in contact with the prosecutor and police officers, and to provide testimony when summoned.

   Gatlin had no contact with Sergeant Green between June 22, 1997, and his sentencing on May 20, 1998. Instead, he communicated with Sergeant Carlson and Officer Mark Lenzen, who were assigned to the Dawson murder case. Members of the police force, including Sergeants Carlson and Lenzen, met with Gatlin seven and ten times during this period.

(Heading in original document, "The Hurd Letter")

Everyone involved in this case knew that at some time Mr. Gatlin's participation would become public. [Gatlin Sentencing Tr. at 6:7-11 (April 20, 1998).] 

   On or about June 20, 1998, as part of Carver County Jail's routine inmate-mail inspection, Officer Eric Kittleson reviewed a letter written by Arthur Hurd. The letter was directed to fellow Mickey Cobra gang member Andrew Neal, and included a transcript of Gatlin's statement in the Dawson murder and  a handwritten note which said: "Check this out. Something must be done about this." There is no substantial dispute that this was a reference to Gatlin. 

   Officer Kittleson kept the letter, and on June 21, 1998, he contacted his superior officer, Sergeant Reed Ashpole. Ashpole, being concerned with gang retaliation, called Sergeant Green to ask what he should do. Green stated he would subpoena the letter. The Carver County authorities then photocopied Hurd's handwritten note. This copy of the Hurd letter, for reasons unknown to the Court, no longer exists. 

   After Ashpole's call, Sergeant Green attempted to contact Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Gary McGlennen, because he felt McGlennen would best understand the legally appropriate response to the letter. Green did not reach him, but left a voicemail message, which also no longer exists. 

   By June 23, 1998 -- two days after Ashpole's call -- Green had still not heard from Mr. McGlennen. Ashpole then contacted Green again and asked what should be done with the letter. According to Ashpole, Green declined to subpoena or get copies of the letter, and told Ashpole to mail the letter to its intended recipient. Ashpole relayed this information to Kittleson, and the letter was mailed to Andrew Neal. In a case supplement memorandum filed by Sergeant Green on July 9, 1998, he stated he "was unaware of anything prohibiting the sending of this mail," and until he spoke with McGlennen, did not realize "the   sending of this mail would be detrimental to the safety of Juwan Gatlin." 

   Once Minneapolis police learned Hurd's letter had been mailed, they attempted to warn Gatlin of his possibly heightened exposure to danger. Sergeant Carlson, one of the Dawson case investigators, phoned Gatlin on July 8, 1998, to warned him about the letter and its contents, and to let him know officers planned to discuss the letter with Andrew Neal. During the call, Gatlin told Officer Carlson he already knew of the mailing because he had spoken with Andrew Neal. Gatlin further told Sergeant Carlson that Hurd had little influence in the gang, and that the letter was not a concern to him. He described Neal as a lifelong friend, and stated that, while Neal was still considering "putting out" the letter, he thought it unlikely. Gatlin said he believed if the letter was put out, fellow Mickey Cobra gang members would try to kill him. Gatlin reminded police he was fearful for his and his family's safety.

   On July 9, 1998, officers brought Gatlin to the Minneapolis homicide unit. Thereafter, County Attorney McGlennen brought a motion asking the Court to alter Gatlin's terms of probation. The Court did so, authorizing Gatlin to absent himself from Minnesota until his testimony was needed. It was agreed Gatlin would leave for Arkansas, where his wife had family.

   McGlennen also called Gatlin to warn him of the immediate danger posed by Hurd's letter, and arranged to fund Gatlin's transportation to Arkansas through his office's Victim/Witness Protection program. On July 10, 1998, Carlson and Lenzen gave Gatlin $350.00 from the Police Chief's Contingency Fund to cover hotel expenses for the coming weekend. Gatlin agreed to spend the weekend in Hudson, Wisconsin, to avoid an encounter with Mickey Cobra gang members. 

   The following Monday, July 13, 1998, witness advocate Mykelene Cook met with Gatlin and gave him a check for an additional $450.00 to cover travel expenses to Arkansas. She agreed to give him additional funds if needed for his first month's rent and damage deposit. Gatlin then asked for a moving trailer, and Cook agreed to pay this expense. She gave him the money at the local U-Haul store on July 14, 1998. While there, Gatlin asked her to pay for an auto tune-up instead of the trailer rental, and she gave him a check for this purpose. Gatlin cashed all of these relocation checks. Both Cook and the police officers believe he left the state following these arrangements.

(Heading, "The Gatlin Murder") 

 Juwan Gatlin was shot   between 13 and 15 times with a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun in an alley near Logan Avenue in Minneapolis at approximately 11:00 a.m. on August 7, 1998. The gun has never been found. His death occurred a month after he met with Minneapolis police officers to discuss the Hurd letter, and more than three weeks after his meeting with Ms. Cook. 

   Police investigators determined the murder occurred shortly before the body was found. The investigating officers interviewed Andrew Neal, who admitted  receiving the Hurd letter. Neal said he told at least one other Mickey Cobra gang member -- Donald Carter -- about its contents. Police ultimately identified three people as suspects in Mr. Gatlin's murder. One suspect was killed in an unrelated incident in Chicago before he could be arrested; one pleaded guilty; and the remaining individual was convicted following a jury trial.

   On December 29, 2000, Demetrius Gatlin filed this suit in Hennepin County District Court. Defendants timely removed the matter to federal court, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1441(a) and (b), invoking this Court's original jurisdiction over plaintiff's federal civil rights claims. Defendants subsequently moved for summary judgment.

JNS blog notes, in summary: having carefully considered the facts and applying the law, the judge said--in summary--"no dice" to the claims of the Gatlin estate. In summary, Gatlin should have gotten the heck out of the state when the system not only gave Gatlin an opportunity, but gave him money. 

Neal's Possible Motive? 

You have to wonder what, exactly, was Neal's life like following common knowledge he was an informant? It appears like Neal was stuck in a street life, but as a known informant he would have found it difficult to develop the necessary affiliations with loyal gang members to be whatever a "success" looks like in that life.

So was Neal filled with rage at police for his messed up life? It's interesting to note the key event in Neal's life--the event which transformed him into an informant--was the shooting of Juwan Gatlin on Logan Avenue North. And when Neal ran away, where did police find him? 

Nearby. On Logan Avenue North.

It would appear that his whole life, Neal has never gotten away from his doomed destiny on Logan Avenue North.