A deputy U.S. attorney general has said there will be no federal investigation into the death of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent (ISA) agent in Minneapolis — leaving only one avenue of investigation open.
But those officials in Hennepin County face some significant hurdles from federal authorities who have not turned over key evidence.
“The question … is whether or not they can prosecute without the FBI’s information,” said Emmanuel Mauleon, a law professor at the University of Minnesota.
Renee Good, a mother of three, was shot on January 7 by ICE agent Jonathan Ross while in her SUV in a residential area south of Minneapolis.
US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said. Media networks On the shot it says “no basis for investigation”.
US Vice President JD Vance appeared on Thursday to hint at another investigation at the federal level, though the wording was vague and seemed to suggest an internal, non-criminal probe.
He said that “if somebody does something wrong … it makes sure they face disciplinary action,” likely referring to an internal investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE..
The woman who was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis on Wednesday has been identified as Renee Nicole McLean Good, 37, a 37-year-old mother of three who recently moved to Minnesota. She was a U.S. citizen born in Colorado and apparently has never been charged with law enforcement beyond a traffic ticket.
That leaves the only criminal investigation with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (HCAO).
The office has since created a link for residents to submit any evidence related to the case.
“We want to make sure that everyone in the community — because we know everyone has phones now and they’re taking video — has an opportunity to provide that to us,” County Attorney Mary Moriarty told Twin Cities PBS.
Asked what evidence and information they have in relation to the case, Moriarty said, “It’s easier to say what we don’t have.”
She said the federal government seized Goode’s car, Ross’ gun and shell casings at the scene.
“We’d like to have that, but it’s not necessarily a barrier to going forward with the law,” she said.
Along with the car and the gun, another crucial piece of evidence was Ross’ cellphone, which he was using as a body-worn camera at the time, Antonio Romanucci said. whose law firm Good FA representsmilli. It is also being investigated whether a civil case can be filed.
“These three pieces of evidence are very important. Shall I say critical? I’m not sure I can say yet, but they are very, very important pieces,” he told CBC News.
“We don’t have control over them, someone has control over them,” Romanucci said.
While HCAO hasn’t launched its own investigation into the case — citing a lack of evidence, witnesses and information collected — it is getting help from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, which investigates use of force by law enforcement.
Romanucci said that is why they were forced to send a letter of protection last week, saying that if the government is going to control these evidences, they should keep them safe.
As conflicting narratives continue over the fatal shooting of Minneapolis woman Renee Nicole Goode by an ICE agent, new video shows the interaction from the officer’s perspective — including footage of Goode swerving and driving ahead before the officer opened fire.
“When the time comes, they will have to hand it over to us as they came in.”
Mauleon, who lives at the university, said if that evidence is not found, prosecutors may consider taking the case to trial.
“You certainly don’t want to be the prosecutor who goes to court for murder or manslaughter and then the defense says, ‘Where’s the murder weapon?’ Where is the tool holder? Where’s the car?”
“There are all kinds of abilities to create holes in reasonable doubt if you lose critical evidence in the defense.”
As he said, with all the video footage of the shooter, the prosecution will still have some very important and critical evidence – and many of the murders occurred with far less evidence than is publicly available in this case.
Still, the lack of that crucial evidence would be a “huge obstacle” to a conviction, he said.
over there There were reports. The FBI has launched its own criminal civil rights investigation, which will determine whether there is enough evidence to charge Ross with denying her substantive constitutional rights. Rights – Although Blanche seems to deny that.
Romanucci said the family “100 percent” disagreesd from Blanche decision, and the laws you examine to determine whether or not there has been a violation of civil rights.
“It is inexplicable how they closed it and came to a conclusion. Based on what facts? It means that you just don’t want it to happen, and you want to cover it up,” he said.
The FBI declined to comment on the status of any investigation into Good’s death in an email to CBC News.