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Prosecutor Exodus Deepens as DOJ Declines Civil-Rights Probe in Renee Good Shooting

Washington has steered the case away from a civil-rights review, leaving Minnesota authorities locked out.

Overview

  • At least six federal prosecutors in Minnesota resigned over the handling of the case, including Joseph Thompson, the office’s second-in-command, and senior prosecutor Harry Jacobs, according to CNN.
  • Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said there is currently no basis for a criminal civil-rights investigation. The department has said Civil Rights Division leaders who left had filed for early retirement before the shooting.
  • The FBI is running a federal-only investigation after reversing an initial plan for a joint probe, and Minnesota officials say they have been denied access to key evidence such as Good’s vehicle and shell casings.
  • Officer cellphone video surfaced via a conservative outlet as the White House and DHS labeled the shooting justified, while local leaders pointed to bystander footage that contests that narrative.
  • Protests continued near the shooting site, with reports of federal officers using tear gas and irritants, and Minnesota’s lawsuit over Operation Metro Surge heads to a court status conference on Wednesday.