The 34-page order that made Koua Fong Lee a free man last Thursday was filed late Monday in Ramsey County District Court. Instead of drafting a separate document with findings of fact and conclusions of law, District Judge Joanne Smith included a transcript of the hearing during which she issued her ruling from the bench.
Lee, 32, of St. Paul, was convicted in 2007 of criminal vehicular homicide in connection with a horrific crash in June 2006 that ultimately killed three people. After a four-day hearing last week, the judge ruled that Lee was entitled to a new trial because of newly discovered evidence and errors made by his trial attorney.
County Attorney Susan Gaertner said soon after the hearing that her office would not appeal the ruling and would not retry Lee.
PAT PHEIFER
