Gov. Tim Walz faces backlash after a man who killed his family as a teenager was released early from prison under a state law he signed.
The highest-ranking Minnesotan in Congress, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., slammed Walz’s approach, saying, “Once again, Tim Walz proves why he is one of the worst governors in the country.”
“His soft-on-crime policies not only deny victims justice but also endanger every Minnesotan,” Emmer told Fox News Digital. “Claiming ignorance doesn’t excuse the chaos caused by his dangerous, far-left agenda.”
Emmer, the No. 3 House Republican leader, joined other state Republicans in criticizing the release of David Brom, who was convicted of murdering his parents and two siblings with an axe in 1988 when he was just 16.
“Releasing murderers like David Brom back onto the streets disrespects victims and their families, undermines the rule of law, erodes public trust in our justice system, and threatens community safety,” Emmer said.
Brom was granted supervised work release after Minnesota passed a 2023 law that limits life sentences for juvenile offenders.
The bill, signed into law by Gov. Walz, applies both to future juvenile offenders and retroactively to cases like Brom’s.
Emmer condemned Walz and the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party’s “soft-on-crime” stance, warning that these changes will have serious consequences.
“They’re making law-abiding Minnesotans pay the price,” he added.
Brom served 37 years in prison after being convicted on four counts of first-degree murder. A jury rejected his plea of not guilty by reason of mental illness. He was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences and one concurrent life sentence.
Without the new law, Brom would have been eligible for parole in 2037, after 52 years behind bars.
The law doesn’t guarantee automatic release for juvenile offenders but allows them to petition a Supervised Release Board after serving a minimum of 15 years—or longer depending on the crime—to argue for early release.
Brom was granted supervised release and released last week.
