THE
THE LAST
THE LAST DAY FOR 3.2% BEER? THE NEWS STARTS NOW.
>>> IT WAS A MURDER THAT
CHANGED MINNESOTA.
CHANGED MINNESOTA. A MINNEAPOLIS POLICE OFFICER
GUNNED DOWN IN COLD BLOOD.
NOW 27 YEARS LATER, THAT
OFFICER'S DAUGHTER IS SPEAKING
PUBLICLY FOR THE FIRST TIME, IN
HOPES OF KEEPING HIS KILLER
BEHIND BARS.
BEHIND BARS. IN JUST A FEW WEEKS, ONE OF THE
MEN CONVICTED OF KILLING
OFFICER JERRY HOFF BEGINS HIS
PUSH FOR FREEDOM, IN THE FAMILY
WILL ALSO HAVE ITS SAY ON THE
FUTURE OF THE SUSPECT.
I SAT DOWN WITH HOFF'S
DAUGHTER, SENDING A MESSAGE
THAT THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO
FORGIVE AND FORGET.
>> Reporter: 911 CALLS MADE THE
NIGHT OFFICER JERRY HOFF WAS
SHOT AND KILLED CAPTURED THE
CHAOS OF THE IMMEDIATE
AFTERMATH.
AFTERMATH. NEARLY 30 YEARS LATER, HIS
DAUGHTER, CINDY HOFF BENSON,
REMEMBERS HIS FINAL DISPATCH
CALL.
CALL.
CALL. >>
CALL. >> YOU HEAR HIM CALL OUT, 971,
OFFICER DOWN, PIZZA SHACK.
AND YOU CAN HEAR, THIS IS HIS
LAST BREATHS.
LAST BREATHS. AND YOU HEAR THE CONFUSION OF
THAT NIGHT.
THAT NIGHT. >> Reporter: THE NIGHT SHE IS
REFERRING TO IS SEPTEMBER 25th,
1992.
1992.
1992. IF
1992. IF YOU LIVED HERE THEN, YOU
LIKELY REMEMBER IT.
>> AN INNOCENT POLICE OFFICER
IS DEAD AFTER BEING GUNNED DOWN
IN COLD BLOOD.
>> Reporter: ON THAT NIGHT,
GANG MEMBERS LOOKING FOR
REVENGE AGAINST THE MINNEAPOLIS
POLICE DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO
KILL A COP, WENT TO A
RESTAURANT POPULAR WITH POLICE,
FOUND OFFICER HOFF READING A
NEWSPAPER ON A COFFEE BREAK AND
SHOT HIM IN THE BACK.
>> DO YOU REMEMBER WHERE YOU
WERE, AND HOW YOU FOUND OUT THE
NEWS?
NEWS?
NEWS? >>
NEWS? >> IT WAS ABOUT 2:00, 3:00 IN
THE MORNING AND WE GET A PHONE
CALL.
CALL.
CALL. POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOUR FATHER
HAS BEEN SHOT.
>> Reporter: THAT NIGHT, CINDY
SAYS SHE AND HER FAMILY
RECEIVED A LIFE SENTENCE
CONDEMNED TO LIVE WITHOUT A MAN
WHO LOVED THEM DEARLY.
>> IN HIS WALLET, HE ONLY
CARRIED A FEW PICTURES.
ONE WAS WITH MY MOM ON THEIR
WEDDING DAY, ONE WAS A PICTURE
OF MY DAUGHTER, AND THEN THERE
WAS A PICTURE OF A CIRCUIT SO
WE KNEW WHERE WE ALL STOOD.
MOM WAS ALWAYS FIRST.
>> Reporter: AT 53 YEARS OLD,
OFFICER HOFF AND HIS WIFE
MARILYN HAD BEEN LOOKING
FORWARD TO HIS RETIREMENT THREE
MONTHS AWAY.
MONTHS AWAY. BUT INSTEAD OF CHECKING ON A
TRIP IN THEIR CAMPER TO FINALLY
SEE THE GRAND CANYON, CINDY AND
HER TWO BROTHERS HELPED THEIR
MOTHER PLAN A FUNERAL.
>> WE LOOKS BACK AND I WE COULD
SEE WERE FLASHING LIGHTS FOR
OVER A MILE.
JUST FLASHING LIGHTS.
>> Reporter: TWO WERE CONVICTED
OF ASSISTING IN PLANNING THE
BUILDING.
BUILDING.
BUILDING. TWO MORE CARE CONVICTED OF
BEING THE TRIGGERMAN.
WOLES AND McKENZIE RECEIVED DRY
SENTENCES.
SENTENCES. NOW, NEARLY 30 YEARS LATER,
BOLES AND McKENZIE ARE BEING
CONSIDERED FOR PAROLE AND
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
HAVE SOME SAY IN WHETHER
INMATES GET RELEASED.
>> YOU AND YOUR FAMILY HAVE NOT
SPOKEN ABOUT THIS.
YOU HAVE NOT WANTED TO TALK
PUBLICLY.
PUBLICLY.
PUBLICLY. WHY NOW?
WHY NOW?
WHY NOW? >> WE WANT EVERYONE TO TAKE THE
TIME, WRITE THE LETTER, AND
JUST LET THEM KNOW THAT, HEY,
WE BELIEVE THAT IN THIS STATE,
LIFE SHOULD MEAN LIFE.
>> CINDY ALREADY SHARE THOSE
THOUGHTS BOLES' HEARING AND IS
NOW FOCUSED ON McKENZIE.
>> THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO WOULD
SAY HE WAS 20 YEARS AT THE
TIME, NEARLY 30 YEARS HAS GONE
BY.
BY.
BY. DO
BY. DO YOU THINK THERE'S A CHANCE
HE COULD CHANGE?
>> MY DAD DIDN'T GET A SECOND
CHANCE.
CHANCE.
CHANCE. WE DIDN'T GET A SECOND CHANCE.
AND WE ARE STILL SERVING A LIFE
SENTENCE.
SENTENCE.
SENTENCE. >> WOULD YOU EVER BE ABLE TO
FORGIVE?
FORGIVE?
FORGIVE? >> GOD FORGIVES.
I DON'T HAVE TO.
>> IS THERE ANYTHING HE COULD
SAY THAT WOULD MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
DIFFERENCE? >> NOPE.
>> NOPE.
>> NOPE. HE MADE HIS STATEMENT WHEN HE
RACE THAT GUN AND AIMED IT AT
MY DAD'S BACK.
>> GOSH, I REMEMBER THAT SO
WELL.
WELL.
WELL. IT'S CONFUSING TO ME.
WHY IS HE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE,
IF HE KILLED A POLICE OFFICER?
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
SAYING THAT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA
PAGES.
PAGES.
PAGES. AT
PAGES. AT THE TIME, THAT'S WHAT THE
LAW STATED.
LAW STATED. HE RECEIVED THE POSSIBILITY OF
PAROLE.
PAROLE.
PAROLE. BUT BECAUSE OF HOFF'S MURDER,
THIS CASE PROMPTED A LAW CHANGE
NOW.
NOW.
NOW. SO
NOW. SO THERE IS NO CHANCE FOR
PAROLE FOR THE FIRST-DEGREE
MURDER OF A POLICE OFFICER
ANYMORE.
ANYMORE.
ANYMORE. IN THIS CASE, WHAT HAPPENS
NEXT?
NEXT?
NEXT? McKENZIE IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR
PAROLE UNTIL 2022 BUT THIS IS A
THREE-YEAR PROCESS.
THREE-YEAR PROCESS. THE HOFF FAMILY AND ANYONE ELSE
CAN GIVE INPUT TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS NOW.