Minnesota prosecutor Mary Moriarty has been branded “Bloody Mary” on social media after a series of plea agreements allowed defendants accused of serious crimes to avoid lengthy prison sentences, while more than $500,000 in taxpayer money was spent on her personal security.
Moriarty, 62, serves as Hennepin County attorney. The nickname spread online amid reports that several defendants, including people accused of murder and other violent offenses, were released through negotiated deals.
Criticism intensified after financial records showed that Moriarty’s private protection detail had been funded with more than $500,000 in public money.
“In Minnesota she is known as ‘Bloody Mary.’ She will unleash the worst of the worst back on the streets within hours while [having] 24/7 personal security,” one user posted on X.
Financial records obtained by Alpha News indicate that Moriarty has used private bodyguards since November 2023.
The records show Hennepin County paid private security company Relative Intel $10,950 in 2023, $103,825 in 2024 and $183,875 in 2025 to protect the county attorney.
Moriarty has repeatedly argued that Minneapolis is safe. In December last year, she rejected President Donald Trump’s claims that Somali gangs were terrorizing the city.
The prosecutor has also faced sustained criticism over what opponents describe as a “woke” approach to criminal justice. One of the most prominent disputes involved her decision not to charge Carlton Johnson II after he allegedly threatened and assaulted a neighbor in June.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, 62, was dubbed “Bloody Mary” on social media after a series of reports involving accused criminals who were released
Moriarty has used private bodyguards since November 2023. Hennepin County paid Relative Intel $10,950 in 2023, $103,825 in 2024 and $183,875 in 2025 for her protection
Moriarty declined to charge Carlton Johnson II in June after he allegedly assaulted a neighbor at his apartment complex. On September 2, he allegedly carried out a mass shooting at the same building
Three months later, Johnson allegedly carried out a deadly mass shooting at the apartment complex while facing eviction proceedings.
In another 2025 case, Abdimahat Bille Mohamed faced allegations involving “multiple kidnappings and rapes, including against minors.” He was charged again after previously being released through plea agreements.
One X user claimed: “Bloody Mary let serial kidnapping gang rapist Abdimahat Bille Mohamed free twice with plea deals that involved no jail time. The 3rd time the DOJ took over because they didn’t trust her to actually give the guy jail time. She threw a fit with a TDS [Trump Derangement Syndrome] rant.”
After additional charges were announced, Moriarty accused the Justice Department of using the case for political purposes and said its news release was a “clear attempt to politicize a sexual assault prosecution to inflict further harm on our entire Somali community.”
“The current federal administration is more adept at pardons for violent insurrectionists and drug traffickers than prosecutions,” Moriarty said. “If they intend to start caring about public safety and victims, we recommend they end their coverup of pedophiles and those who protect them.”
Although Moriarty continues to maintain that Minneapolis is safe, county records show that security spending on Relative Intel reached $214,573 this year alone.
That figure covered services through August 28 and already exceeded the county’s spending for all of the previous year. It was also more than twice the amount paid in 2024.
Hennepin County confirmed the payments to the news outlet, saying it has “an agreement with Relative Intel, LLC to provide personal security services.”
Following additional charges against Abdimahat Bille Mohamed, who was accused of “multiple kidnappings and rapes…against minors,” Moriarty called the case a “clear attempt to politicize a sexual assault prosecution to inflict further harm on our entire Somali community
Moriarty with her longtime partner, progressive activist and former Hopkins School Board member Jen Westmoreland
A county spokesperson added: ‘This service is used by the County Attorney.’
Hennepin County entered a $115,000 agreement with Relative Intel from October 2023 to December 2024, the spokesperson said.
Moriarty was elected as county attorney in 2022 and took office in January 2023.
The county entered into a second contract, totaling $500,000, with that firm that runs from January 2025 until December 31 this year, the spokesperson said.
Hennepin County claims it has spent $425,000 on security for Moriarty under two contracts between November 2023 and June 2026.
But supplier payment records obtained by Alpha News that extend through August 28, 2026 reportedly show a total of $513,223 paid to the firm.
Attorney Chris Madel, who has routinely clashed with the Democrat, has branded Moriarty a hypocrite over the alleged security spending.
‘Mary Moriarty spends her time telling Minneapolis residents not to worry about crime while spending $513,000 to make sure she doesn’t have to worry about it herself,’ Madel, a Republican who quit the GOP in January, told the outlet.
Johnson shot and killed two of his neighbors and left five more people injured at the Loring Towers complex in downtown Minneapolis on September 2
‘That’s not leadership. That’s hypocrisy with a security detail.’
He shared how other county officials have received ‘genuine death threats’ but are not afforded taxpayer funded security detail.
He added that it appears ‘crime is only a crisis’ when Moriarty has to ‘face it.’
Moriarty’s term as county attorney, which has been met with massive criticism over her handling of crime, ends on January 4, 2027.
Most recently, she has faced backlash over her decision not to file charges against Carlton Johnson II.
Johnson, 35, shot and killed two of his neighbors and left five more people injured during a mass shooting at the Loring Towers complex in downtown.
The gunman was killed by police officers.
Court documents say Johnson was facing eviction and had threatened a fellow resident with a gun in the months leading up to the shooting.
Police descended on the complex within two minutes of Johnson opening fire
Moriarty confirmed after the shooting that Minneapolis Police had investigated a June 25 encounter where Johnson had displayed a weapon but kept it in his waistband.
Police said he had a legal permit to carry the weapon, and Moriarty’s office decided not to file the charges because there was ‘insufficient evidence to prove a charge beyond a reasonable doubt.’
Moriarty’s office also declined to pursue an emergency order to remove Johnson´s weapon.
Court records also showed that at least one woman who had a child with Johnson filed a restraining order against him in 2023.
According to the complaint, Johnson threatened to kill her in expletive-laden text messages after she told police that he had sexually assaulted her two years earlier.
Interim Police Chief Bill Peterson, at the time of the mass shooting, defended the police response to Johnson’s record and said they only recently knew of many of the incidents.
Moriarty, who is in a relationship with progressive activist Jen Westmoreland, announced in August 2025 that she would not run for re-election.
Her tenure has been plagued by scandal.
Moriarty announced in August 2025 that she would not run for re-election
Last month she negotiated a lenient sentence for a double murderer.
She sought to prosecute police officers using the full force of the law but let a progressive public official off with a slap on the wrist after he keyed six Teslas to avenge Donald Trump’s 2024 election win.
Last year, Moriarty was probed by federal officials after she ordered her assistant prosecutors to factor in race when offering plea deals.
The slew of scandals saw Moriarty splurge another $150,000 of taxpayer cash to try and salvage her reputation.
