WABASHA, Minn. – The Wabasha County prosecutor sued the County Board for cutting his salary $20,000. Matthew Stinson’ called the salary cut arbitrary, capricious and illegal. Stinson cited Minnesota Statute 388.18, which protects the salaries of a county attorneys during the term to which tyeywere elected. Stinson also said a County Board majority in the 3-2 vote lacked a sense of his duties and responsibilities as county attorney. County Board member Don Springer denied any such ignorance. Springer said the board was aware of the statute and acted anyway to send Stinson a message of dissatisfaction. Maybe now, Springer said, Stinson’s performance will improve.
Stinson profile
Matt Stinson, age 38, has practiced law 10 years in the Wabasha County of Lake City. His specialty was criminal defense. He also was a part-time public defender before running for county attorney. In 2022 he ran for county attorney and defeated 24-year incumbent Karrie Kelly, by 139 votes. Stinson positioned himself as a pro-police candidate. He promised “to improve trust between the sheriff’s department and the county attorney’s office.
Sorting out the facts
News reporters at Minnesota Public Radio examined Wabasha County judicial records and found jury trials in felony cases have been fairly rare for years — not only since Stinson was elected. The county population 21,600. These are the numbers of felony jury trials:
> 020. None.
> 2021: Three.
> 2022: None.
> 2023: None
> 2024: Two so far.
Even so, Stinson’s predecessor as county attorney, Karrie Kelly, age 64, whom he defeated for the office in 2o22, says he has been too soft in plea deals that sidestep jury trials. The County Board dissatisfaction with Stinson is in the two high-profile cases:
> Sexual Abuse Case 1. When he was elected, Stinson inherited a sexual abuse case case from Kelly. A man had been caught with child sex images. Kelly had sought a 2-1/2 year prison sentence, but the man’s atttorney negotiated a deal that allowed him to serve only three months. A judge accepted the deal. Kelly called the deal upsetting.
> Sexual Abuse Case 2, The perpetrator served no jail time.
> Sexual Assault Case 3. A current case involves 39-year-old man alleged to have sexually assaulted a 14-year-old gitl. The man’s attorney has moved to dismiss the case on grounds that Stinson’s criminal complaints missed essential facts that the law requires, including the dates and locations of the alleged assaults. Stinson blamed the errors on a software glitch and said the complaint is being amended.
> School Bullying Case. Complaints of serial bullying in the Wabasha schools went to Stinson. The issue stirred community disgust. In the end however, the primary parent has decided eh case more approritely a federal issue as a Title IX sexual discrimination violation by the Wabasha school system. The case is no longer in local hands. Conceivably the case could mean a huge fine against the Wabasha school district.