D’Marco Buckney, Jr. (20) Photo courtesy of the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office
Minnesota’s court system has bought into the rhetoric that “the system” is causing racial disparities. Of course, “the system” hasn’t created disparities – rather the disproportion in those offending creates disproportionate outcomes. We showed this conclusively in our report, Case Closed – Minnesota’s Offender Outcomes Devoid of Racial Bias.
As a result of the buy-in by many county attorneys and judges, young men like D’Marco Buckney Jr., 20, are routinely given inappropriately lenient treatment for serious offenses – too often public safety pays the price.
Sentence departure in 2025
Records indicate that in December 2024, shots were fired into an apartment in North Minneapolis. When Minneapolis police arrived on scene two men were observed on the street near the apartment building. One of the men fled on foot, and the other did not. Buckney was detained by police and searched. Officers recovered not one, but two firearms from Buckney, neither having serial numbers.
Buckney was arrested and charged with a felony for possessing a firearm without a serial number, punishable by up to five years in prison. There is no indication in the records why the Hennepin County Attorney failed to charge Buckney with a second count for possessing the second firearm – this is a common failure of “the system” which tends to excuse multiple offenses and essentially give a free pass after the first offense. There is also no indication why Buckney wasn’t charged with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, or for the shots fired into the apartment building. The single charge of possessing a firearm without a serial number was a gross under-effort from the start.
During the prosecution of this felony, Buckney was released from custody under multiple conditions – remaining law abiding, appearing in court as directed, no possession of firearms, etc.
In June 2025, Buckney was allowed to plead guilty to the single count of possessing a firearm without a serial number. Judge Scoggin agreed to depart downward from the sentencing guidelines and sentence Buckney to a gross misdemeanor. Judges have to declare a reason for departing from the guidelines – Scoggins justified the departure by checking the box, “Crime less onerous than usual.”
The sentence held 364 days of workhouse confinement over Buckney’s head but stayed that sentence for two years. Then, Judge Scoggin ordered Buckney to “serve” three (3) days in the workhouse, but gave him credit for the three days he had served in jail after his arrest. Buckney was placed on supervised probation for two years, and ordered to complete 10 days of community service, which he never did.
Not surprisingly, the entire experience had little impact on Buckney.
Probation violation
By December 2025 Buckney had violated his probation, and a hearing was scheduled. Buckney failed to show for the hearing and a warrant was issued. Buckney was arrested and brought back to court in January 2026 where he was promptly released and given another hearing date to address the probation violation.
In June 2026, Judge Scoggin dismissed the probation violation, and amended Buckney’s sentence, ordering Buckney to serve 15 days in the workhouse, but then allowed the 15 days to be served on home monitoring. Judge Scoggin also altered the original 10 days of community service, which Buckney apparently had not completed, to work/school release instead. Among the conditions that remained in place – a stern finger wagging, admonishing Buckney not to possess firearms.
Again – the court experience apparently had little impact on Buckney.
Brazen attempted murder
At some point, despite being under probation supervision and having been ordered by the court not to possess firearms, Buckney registered an account at Bill’s Gun Range in Blaine.
On September 12th, 2026, Buckney rented a shooting lane at the gun range checking in under his customer account. After shooting, surveillance video showed Buckney walk out into the parking lot where he approached a man, pulled his firearm, and shot the man five times severely wounding but not killing him. Buckney left the area driving a car registered to him.
Buckney remained at large until September 22nd, when he was arrested on a warrant from Anoka County charging him with one count of 2nd degree attempted murder and one county of 2nd degree assault with a dangerous weapon. Buckney remains in custody of the Anoka County Sheriff in lieu of $1.5 million bail.
The takeaway
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and the Hennepin County District Court had ample opportunity to remove Buckney from society in 2025. Until our judicial system stops turning a blind eye to those committing violence with firearms, we will continue to experience more violence with firearms.
All the laws in the world won’t prevent violence; action will. And that action needs to come from our court system which must reject the all-too-common response of providing 2nd, 3rd, and 4th chances to violent offenders.
Law abiding Minnesotans deserve better.
