Story perspectives

Judge Denies Dismissal in Rhinewalt Manslaughter Case

By Drooid · Oct 27, 2026, 3:10 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. Judge Faye Peterson denied Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s request to dismiss Michael Rhinewalt’s manslaughter case.
A majority-Black jury deadlocked on Rhinewalt while acquitting co-defendant Steven Frederick.
Peterson said Fitch showed bias favoring law-enforcement and gave no valid reason to drop prosecution.
Fitch announced her office will not retry Rhinewalt, calling the mistrial a tie.

History

Historical Context

After Mike Moore secured a 1988 law letting the Mississippi attorney general run grand juries, the 1994 Supreme Court voted 7-2 to reject his bid to drop Sheriff Billy Ray Smith’s murder trial, noting a $1.5 million civil-rights settlement. The precedent guided Judge Faye Peterson’s refusal to dismiss AG Lynn Fitch’s request in the Rhinewalt manslaughter case, reinforcing judicial oversight of executive prosecutions.

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Story summary

U.S. Judge Faye Peterson denied Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s request to dismiss Michael Rhinewalt’s manslaughter case.
A majority-Black jury deadlocked on Rhinewalt while acquitting co-defendant Steven Frederick.
Peterson said Fitch showed bias favoring law-enforcement and gave no valid reason to drop prosecution.
Fitch announced her office will not retry Rhinewalt, calling the mistrial a tie.

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