ST. PAUL — Ramsey County Attorney John Choi announced on June 23, 2026, that six murder convictions linked to former medical examiner Dr. Michael McGee were upheld. Choi stated there was no basis to vacate or modify the convictions, which he described as "fair and just."

The Ramsey County Attorney's Office released findings on seven murder convictions. Choi said findings in one case involving a recent plea agreement are being shared with the defense team and that the legal process will continue to play out.

Ramsey County hired three medical experts to review McGee's testimony and reports. Choi said the experts primarily identified concerning stylistic word choices rather than substantive issues with McGee's overall conclusions. He added that the experts had no connection to Minnesota or the specific cases reviewed.

Choi said the review determined that while criticisms of McGee's findings were valid in a few cases, they did not relate to aspects essential for determining a defendant's guilt. The medical experts described McGee's language as at times overreaching or misleading, particularly when he attributed victims' injuries to assault, a legal term.

The Ramsey County Attorney's Office initiated the review of McGee's work after a federal judge overturned a death sentence for Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. District Judge Ralph Erickson stated that evidence indicated McGee was "guessing" on the witness stand. Erickson also noted that McGee offered opinions during the trial that were not contained in his autopsy reports. Rodriguez Jr. was convicted in the 2003 killing of North Dakota college student Dru Sjodin and was later resentenced to life in prison.

As part of the review, the Ramsey County Attorney's Office collaborated with lawyers at the Prosecutors' Center for Excellence and consulted with the Great North Innocence Project. The review incurred a cost of $380,000 for Ramsey County.

Choi said the review showed areas where his office could provide additional training to prosecutors regarding the role of medical experts. He stated medical examiners and experts should assist a jury without "lead them to legal conclusions" and "should not be advocates for one side or the other."