MINNEAPOLIS — The Hennepin County Attorney's Office has now dismissed the case against James Jones-Drain, the man accused of leading MPD Officer Brian Cummings on a high-speed chase in July 2021. Cummings' vehicle went through a red light and hit and killed an innocent driver, Leneal Frazier.
"The State of Minnesota hereby dismisses the Complaint in the above-named due to an inability to prove all of the charges beyond a reasonable doubt at this time," the dismissal statement said.
Jones-Drain is still charged with various robberies and remains in jail. Jones-Drain was charged with fleeing an officer resulting in death because the vehicle he used in the robberies was the same one Cummings chased through the intersection.
In July, Cummings was sentenced to 270 days in jail after pleading guilty to manslaughter for his role in causing Frazier's death.
Regarding the latest development, Cummings' attorney Thomas Plunkett said in a statement, "Mr. Cummings risked his life many times to protect people. He sits in jail. Mr. Jones-Drain, a gun-toting thief who bears responsibility for the death of Leneal Frazier and stole from the innocent gets a break? Minneapolis is a better place to be a criminal than a law enforcement officer."
In response to Plunkett's statement, Nick Kimball, spokesperson for the Hennepin County Attorney's Office said, "Mr. Plunkett’s client sits in jail because he voluntarily pled guilty to criminal vehicular homicide and admitted under oath, while represented by Mr. Plunkett, to needlessly driving in a grossly negligent manner at a speed of almost 100 mph in a residential area, causing the unfortunate death of Mr. Frazier.
It is also worth noting that Mr. Cummings admitted he had legitimate alternatives to his criminal conduct and that he caused excessive danger to the general public with his actions. If his admitted conduct had not been so far from the norm, he would not have been charged, pled guilty, or been convicted."
If the Hennepin County Attorney chooses, they can refile the fleeing resulting in a death charge against Jones-Drain.
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