Man who helped organize Columbus statue toppling gets deferred prosecution, community service

Ramsey County DA Choi employees restorative justice practice to reach agreement

Mike Forcia, a leader in the American Indian Movement and the only person charged for bringing down the Columbus statue on the Minnesota Capitol Mall June 10, will receive a suspended sentence and do 100 hours of community service.

Ramsey County District Attorney John Choi created restorative justice circles to help reach a decision on the appropriate punishment. (Such circles are becoming more main stream, but have long been a part of Native American cultures.)

The sentencing agreement included powerful acknowledgements from both sides of this case regarding the harms done.

Ramsey County Prosecutor Sarah Corey acknowledged the failure of the public system to address long-standing community concerns about the statue. People had been trying to use legal means to remove the statue that “received little to no consideration,” she said.

Forcia acknowledged the harms he had done both the the Italian-American and Native American communities.