(AP)
A Minnesota man accused of killing a top Democratic state lawmaker and wounding another while pretending to be a police officer faces new and upgraded state charges under a fresh indictment announced Thursday, just a week after he pleaded not guilty in federal court.
Vance Boelter now faces two charges of first-degree murder, four counts of attempted first-degree murder and charges of impersonating a police officer and animal cruelty for shooting as dog. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the charges “reflect the weight of Mr. Boelter’s crimes.”
But the state case continues to take a back seat to the federal case against Boelter, where he faces potentially more serious consequences. He was indicted July 15 on six federal counts of murder, stalking, and weapons violations. The murder charges could carry the federal death penalty, although prosecutors haven’t decided yet whether to pursue that option…