An Open Letter to District Attorney Racki and Sheriff Slaughter – New Signed Law Demonstrates Montana Legislature and Governor Gianforte Agree, Detective

The recent enactment of Senate Bill 444 sponsored by Senator Jeremy Trebas and signed into law by Governor Gianforte on May 5, 2025 marks a turning point in Montana’s legal and ethical response to unchecked law enforcement power. This reform, while long overdue, stands as a direct rebuke to the failures of your departments in the tragic case of Michael Hanson, who lost his life during an attempted execution of a search warrant that never should have been allowed to unfold the way it did. Montana Code Annotated § 46-5-227 already required law enforcement officers to “exhibit” a search warrant to the person or premises being searched. Yet, despite Michael Hanson’s repeated and lawful requests to see the warrant on February 23, 2024, Detective Jacob Tri refused to show a warrant. That decision, coupled with Tri’s unauthorized entry onto private property, unpreparedness as demonstrated by a lack of body camera and non-lethal tools, and absence of backup, directly led to Mr. Hanson’s death – all because Hanson requested to see a simple paper that is considered a legal safeguard to us citizens. Furthermore, both of you offered testimony during the coroner’s inquest that downplayed or outright denied any wrongdoing. District Attorney Racki selectively referenced statutes that justified force while omitting those that required lawful presentation of the warrant. Sheriff Slaughter, when asked about warrant requirements, told the jury, “Having a search warrant is more. It like bolsters your case, so to speak. But it’s not required.” This blatant disregard for constitutional protections is not only wrong, but also dangerous. When justice is selectively applied, it is no longer justice it is politics in a uniform. SB 444 now closes the loophole that allowed your offices to claim that “exhibiting” a warrant could mean something other than what every citizen understands it to mean: to show the warrant to the person whose rights are about to be violated. The community thanks Senator Jeremy Trebas for his steadfast response and for listening to the people and the families affected. His leadership in the passage of SB 444 exemplifies what public service should be: responsive, principled, and rooted in justice. This legislation would not have come to life without his commitment to restoring trust between law enforcement and the community. Adding insult to injury, despite the circumstances surrounding Michael Hanson's death, Detective Jacob Tri was awarded the Purple Heart and, more recently, received the Glock NRA Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award, which included a custom Glock firearm. These accolades, reported by local outlets such as KRTV and The Electric, appear to reward conduct that led to a tragic and avoidable death. Such honors further alienate the public from the institutions meant to protect them. Montana cannot afford to let elected law enforcement and prosecutors operate without accountability. Michael Hanson is not collateral damage. He was a citizen entitled to his rights until those rights were ignored, overridden, and taken from him. Now that the law speaks more clearly than your offices did, we call for: - A public apology to the Hanson family acknowledging the failure to follow warrant procedures that ensure the constitutional rights of the People are upheld. - An internal review of search warrant protocol enforcement across the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office. - The resignation or disciplinary sanction of Detective Jacob Tri for violations of Montana POST standards and the new provisions of SB 444. - An external investigation into misleading testimony given during the inquest proceedings. Let SB 444 not only be a legal correction but a moral compass. Let it guide your departments toward the integrity, accountability, and respect for the Constitution that the People of Cascade County deserve. Opinion pieces are printed verbatim and in their entirety. All opinion pieces are the sole responsibility of their author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Great Falls Gazette. The Great Falls Gazette reserves the right to not print submissions for any or no reason at all. If you have an opinionpiece you would like considered for publication please contact The Great Falls Gazette at info@gfgazette.com or call (406) 604-8929.