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How many Teslas do you have to key before Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty decides you have committed an actual crime?

Dylan Bryan Adams vandalized six Teslas across Minneapolis, causing more than $21,000 in damage. He was caught red-handed on video, sometimes while walking his dog, casually carving up cars like it was his weekend hobby. But instead of being charged like any other adult who knowingly commits six counts of felony-level property damage, he's being offered a pre-charge diversion program, which is typically reserved for low-level, first-time offenders who do something impulsive or minor.

Make no mistake, Adams didn't stumble into a minor, impulsive act. This wasn't a youthful prank or one-off lapse in judgment. The facts are that over several days in March, he methodically targeted six Teslas, keying them with damages ranges from $1,600 to a staggering $10,370. It was a calculated spree, likely fueled by political animus against Elon Musk, a broader phenomenon mentioned in the Minnesota Star Tribune's coverage of Moriarty's decision. [Star Tribune opinion editor's note: See the first-day article reporting on the decision here and the second-day coverage with Moriarty's response here.]

Moriarty can't fall back on one of her most infamous justifications: the claim that the offender's brain wasn't fully developed. She's used this rationale to excuse behavior by defendants under 25, arguing for leniency based on neuroscience. But Adams is not a kid, he's a 33-year-old man. Old enough to know better. Old enough to work for the Department of Human Services. And old enough to be held accountable.

The Minneapolis Police Department did exactly what the public expects: It spotted the trend, investigated the cases, identified the suspect and arrested him. Then came the curveball. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara's frustration is palpable and justified. His department has faced attacks from Moriarty in the past as she has repeatedly declined to charge cases by claiming the MPD didn't submit thorough investigations. She's criticized officers for missing interviews, skipping evidence or cutting corners. But in this case? They gave her everything. Witnesses. Surveillance video. A detailed timeline. Clear motive. Even the suspect's dog. They handed her a fully wrapped, airtight case. Moriarty tossed this effort aside, leaving the victims like Christine Vander Hook feeling abandoned. O'Hara's pointed remark that "any frustration" should be directed at the County Attorney's Office is a rare and welcome moment of candor from law enforcement. He's right: The buck stops with Moriarty.

A statement from Moriarty's office says diversion ensures that offenders like Adams can keep their jobs and pay restitution. By treating this crime as a minor infraction, Moriarty signals that politically motivated property crimes are tolerable, especially if the target is associated with a polarizing figure like Musk. If six acts of deliberate felony property damage don't qualify for prosecution, then what does? Any car that is keyed, business that's vandalized, or home that is defaced is fair game — because Moriarty has drawn the line of justice in invisible ink. She has set a precedent that is so staggeringly reckless that it begs the question: What does she consider as property damage?

Now here's where it gets even more infuriating. According to the Hennepin County Attorney's own policy, diversion is meant for property crimes of less than $5,000. Let that sink in. Adams caused more than four times that amount in damage. The policy exists for a reason — to distinguish minor mistakes from serious offenses. But Moriarty either ignored it or bent it to fit a narrative. Either way, the public is left wondering: What exactly are the rules in Hennepin County, and who are they written to protect?

Moriarty was elected on a promise of reform. But this isn't progressive justice. It's abdication. And Hennepin County deserves better. A justice system that doesn't enforce the law is not a justice system at all — it's an invitation to chaos. And under Mary Moriarty, the invitation has been sent.

Brandi Bennett is a longtime Minnesota resident who works in criminal justice. The opinions here are her own and do not reflect those of her employer.