The family of Renee Good filed two federal lawsuits seeking damages over her January shooting death, alleging an ICE officer used unjustified deadly force and that federal personnel violated her constitutional and civil rights.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The family of Renee Good filed two lawsuits Thursday against the U.S. government and federal immigration personnel over her fatal shooting by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis in January, alleging wrongful death, excessive force and violations of federal and Minnesota law.
Good was shot after an encounter with federal immigration officers while sitting in her vehicle with her wife, Becca Good, nearby. Federal officials previously defended the shooting as an act of self-defense, saying Good drove her vehicle toward an agent. Her family’s complaints present a sharply different account, alleging she was attempting to “drive slowly away” when the officer opened fire.
The lawsuits allege the officer violated Good’s Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures and breached Department of Homeland Security use-of-force policies that permit deadly force only when an officer reasonably believes there is an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury. The family also alleges battery, false imprisonment, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
According to the complaints, Good and her wife were in their neighborhood as federal officers carried out immigration enforcement operations. Good allegedly honked her horn to alert neighbors to the officers’ presence but had not committed or threatened violence before the confrontation.
Her attorneys argue that she had a constitutional right to observe federal law enforcement activity, express herself and leave the area.
“Renee told masked agents she wasn’t mad at them; her last words clearly reflected her state of mind. Renee had the right to speak, express herself, assemble, observe and leave the scene unharmed and alive,” said Antonio M. Romanucci, founding partner of Romanucci & Blandin and one of the attorneys representing the family.
“Today, these lawsuits are the beginning of the ultimate legal weapon in uncovering the truth behind this unlawful use of deadly force and the nefarious conspiracies behind the invasion of American cities by American law enforcement officers,” Romanucci added.
The complaints also accuse DHS personnel at the scene of unlawfully confining Good and causing emotional distress. Her family is seeking monetary damages, with one case requesting a bench trial and the other asking for a jury trial.
Good’s brother, Brett Ganger, said the litigation is intended to seek accountability on behalf of his sister and her children.
“I stand here with fierce determination to do what is right for my sister, for her children, and for our country—and that is to insist on accountability,” Ganger said.
Becca Good said the family wants the case to prevent another family from experiencing a similar loss.
“What happened to us should never happen to any family. No child should grow up without a parent because of it. No one should lose their sister or their daughter. No one should have to live without their soulmate. Accountability—real accountability—is the only way to make sure that no other family has to go through what we have,” she said.
The shooting became a major point of controversy surrounding federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota. Video from the encounter and conflicting interpretations of Good’s movements immediately before the gunfire fueled disagreement over whether the officer faced an imminent threat when he fired.
The family’s lawsuits will require a federal court to examine those circumstances more closely, including the officer’s actions, Good’s vehicle movement and whether federal personnel complied with constitutional standards and DHS policies governing deadly force.
The filings are civil complaints and do not establish wrongdoing. The federal government and individual defendants will have an opportunity to dispute the family’s allegations and present their own evidence and legal defenses.
The White House and DHS did not respond to requests for comment before publication. A Department of Justice spokesperson said the department does not comment on pending litigation or investigations.
Good’s family is now asking the federal court to determine whether her death resulted from lawful self-defense, as federal officials have maintained, or an unconstitutional use of deadly force, as the lawsuits allege.
Original article
Comments