Deng Investigation Goes to State Attorney General's Office For Review

According to the Press-Citizen this morning, the investigation concerning the altercation that led to the untimely death of John Deng is being reviewed by the State Attorney General's office. For some in the community, this restores the belief that the investigation needed a more impartial set of eyes. According to the account "Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness said the case would be reviewed by the Attorney General’s Office to eliminate the possibility for, or perception of, a conflict of interest." According to a Gazette report, "Attorney general spokesman Bob Brammer said Monday investigators have given the case priority in an effort to bring it to a close as soon as possible."

As the investigation stretches on, the other perception is that there is foot dragging taking place and that law enforcement has provided little in terms of the status of the ongoing investigation. From existing accounts, there is a conflict between what witnesses said they saw. This lack of corroboration may be the crux of the review by the SAG's office.