Special prosecutors appointed to review Jay Anderson shooting case

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A Milwaukee County circuit court judge has appointed two special prosecutors in the Jay Anderson case. 

This comes after the judge found probable cause that former Wauwatosa Police Officer Joseph Mensah committed homicide in Anderson's death. 

Anderson was shot and killed in 2016. 

The special prosecutors are La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke, and Scott Hansen, who is counsel at a Milwaukee-based law firm.

"These are not a couple of guys with big egos. They are people who are focused on the facts, on the law and understanding the total situation," Judge Yamahiro said. 

In July, Yamahiro found probable cause to charge former Wauwatosa police officer Joseph Mensah in the shooting death of Anderson. He was shot and killed in Madison park in June 2016. The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office said the shooting was justified. The Anderson family petitioned the court for a John Doe hearing.

"This case was brought to me and I felt a responsibility in particular to not hide behind a non-existent conflict. I felt I owed I a responsibility to the people of Milwaukee County." 

Family attorney Kimberley Motley is optimistic. 

"I'm hopeful they see what we see in the investigation that we conducted in the evidence that we presented that there is overwhelming evidence that joseph Mensah should be charged criminally," Motley.

Anderson's family says this is a step towards justice.

"I'm looking forward to it," Linda Anderson. 

"We have a lot of investigating to do, we intend to do it very thorough job and hopefully we justify the judge's confidence," Hansen said.

Joseph Mensah shot and killed three people on the job - all the shootings were ruled justified. Mensah resigned from the Wauwatosa Police Department following protests and an internal investigation. He's now with the Waukesha County Sheriff's Office.

The next hearing is set for Feb. 15.