Crime & Safety
Father Of Student Killed In Richfield Shooting Remains Jailed
In December, Cortez A. Rice, 32, was charged in Hennepin County with tampering with a judicial officer. He remains in custody.
MINNEAPOLIS — The father of the 15-year-old student who was killed outside a school in Richfield Tuesday remains jailed on a charge of tampering with a judicial officer.
Cortez A. Rice, 32, is the father of Jahmari Rice, who was fatally shot at South Education Center.
Cortez is accused of trying to intimidate the judge who presided over the manslaughter case involving former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter. Authorities said Rice was motivated after Hennepin County District Judge Regina Chu ruled that cameras would not be allowed inside the courtroom during Potter's trial.
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Cortez was charged and arrested on Dec. 6 and has remained in custody since then. His bail was set at $50,000. Cortez is currently at Hennepin County's Adult Corrections Facility in Plymouth.
During a virtual hearing Wednesday, Judge William Leary denied motions to release Cortez, a court official told Patch. The judge will rule on releasing Cortez from custody to attend his son’s funeral at a later date.
Find out what's happening in Southwest Minneapolisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
On Nov. 6, Rice was among a group of activists who showed up at an apartment building in Minneapolis, according to authorities. The protesters believed they were at the building where Chu lived, according to the criminal complaint.
While other activists remained outside, Rice went inside and up to the 12th floor, investigators said.
"I don't know if this is her crib. I think this is her crib right here. We got confirmation that this is her house right here," Rice said in a YouTube livestream, according to the criminal complaint.
"We demand transparency. We'd hate you to get kicked out of your apartment," Rice yelled, according to police.
Another protester said the incident was a "trial run" and they would return, the criminal complaint states.
Authorities interviewed Chu, who said the protesters attempted to intimidate her and interfere with the judicial process, according to investigators.
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