Prosecutors Move to Block Evidentiary Hearing in Philip Vance Case

Dakota County prosecutors are urging a Minnesota court to deny an evidentiary hearing in the post-conviction case of Philip Vance, who has maintained his innocence for more than 20 years.

On Monday, the Dakota County Attorney’s Office, under County Attorney Kathy Keena, filed a response asking the court to summarily deny Philip Vance’s fifth petition for post-conviction relief. The filing argues that Philip’s claims are procedurally barred, time-barred, or previously reviewed, including during a multi-year investigation by the Minnesota Attorney General’s Conviction Review Unit (CRU), which declined to recommend vacating his conviction.

Philip was sentenced to life in prison in 2004 for the murder of Sabreens Market clerk Khaled Al-Bakri. In 2023, BLCK Press founder and independent journalist Georgia Fort reported on concerns raised by advocates about witness credibility, recantations, and alleged constitutional violations in the case.

What's next?

The State’s filing is not a ruling, and a judge will ultimately decide whether an evidentiary hearing will be granted. Philip’s legal team has until January 20 to file a response disputing the State’s arguments and urging the court to allow testimony and credibility determinations to be examined in open court.

If granted, an evidentiary hearing would permit sworn testimony and cross-examination rather than resolution based solely on written submissions. The court will review filings from both sides before deciding whether to allow the case to proceed.

A tentative hearing date of February 11 has been set, pending the court’s decision.

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