“If the Department’s ultimate assessments of these two shootings reflect confidence that the actions of the involved officers were lawful and justified, there should be no objection to independent state review of both incidents.”
– Letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi from Over 300 Former Federal Prosecutors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 4, 2026
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Over 300 Former Federal Prosecutors Urge DOJ to Allow Independent State and Local Investigations into Minneapolis Killings
In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, a coalition of former federal prosecutors called on DOJ to cooperate with Minnesota authorities in investigations of Renee Good and Alex Pretti’s deaths
Today, more than 300 former federal prosecutors from across the country urged the U.S. Department of Justice to allow state and local authorities in Minnesota to independently investigate last month’s fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis.
In a letter sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi and congressional leadership, the group calls on the federal government to follow longstanding, bipartisan law enforcement norms by preserving and sharing evidence and permitting parallel local and state investigations into the killings. The signatories represent a span of over 60 years of public service to DOJ across 36 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.
According to public reporting, federal authorities declined to share evidence with Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and blocked state investigators from accessing crime scenes and materials related to the deaths. Minnesota officials, including local prosecutors and law enforcement leaders, have publicly stated their commitment to conducting thorough investigations but cannot do so without federal cooperation.
“If the Department’s ultimate assessments of these two shootings reflect confidence that the actions of the involved officers were lawful and justified,” the letter notes, “there should be no objection to independent state review of both incidents.”
“As a former federal prosecutor and current DA who has worked on these kinds of cases, I know that strong federal-state partnerships are essential to effective law enforcement and public safety. Especially in cases involving deadly force, cooperation and transparency aren’t optional – they’re what ensure investigations are thorough, credible, and worthy of public trust,” said Shelby County (Memphis), Tenn. District Attorney Steve Mulroy, who previously served as a Trial Attorney in the DOJ Civil Rights Division and as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The letter emphasizes that allowing state and local investigations does not presume wrongdoing by federal officers. Rather, it reflects the well-established principle of dual sovereignty, under which federal and state authorities may investigate the same incident under their respective laws – a practice routinely followed in officer-involved use-of-force cases nationwide.
“As a federal prosecutor for more than a decade, I investigated many crimes cooperatively with state and federal law enforcement,” said Mona Sahaf, director of the Vera Institute of Justice’s Reshaping Prosecution initiative. “When lives are lost, at the hands of law enforcement, accountability is paramount – the families and communities demand it. State prosecutors need to be able to do their jobs. The Department of Justice must cooperate and share evidence with Minnesota authorities and allow independent investigations into the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Anything less undermines decades of practice and erodes public trust in our justice system.”
The letter warns that blocking state investigations in cases involving deadly force risks undermining public confidence in law enforcement and the justice system itself – particularly at a moment of heightened national scrutiny around policing and civil rights.
“When someone is killed by a law enforcement officer, justice depends on transparency and independent review – not secrecy,” said Cristine Soto DeBerry, Executive Director of the Prosecutors Alliance, who coordinated the letter. “The former federal prosecutors who signed this letter understand better than anyone that cooperation between federal, state, and local authorities is not optional. It is essential to public trust, the rule of law, and the safety of our communities.”
Read the full letter and see the list of signatories here.
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About the Prosecutors Alliance
The Prosecutors Alliance is a national organization that equips prosecutors to protect the vulnerable, prioritize healing, and exercise power with integrity and care.