A growing wave of departures at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) highlights deep internal strife over the federal government’s handling of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Renée Nicole Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis woman shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on January 7.
At least six prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota — including senior career attorney Joseph H. Thompson, formerly the office’s first assistant and acting U.S. attorney — resigned this week in protest, sources familiar with the matter say.
The resignations stem from growing frustration with DOJ leadership’s direction of the investigation into Good’s death, particularly pressure from senior officials to pursue a criminal inquiry involving Good’s widow, rather than focusing on whether the ICE agent’s use of deadly force violated civil rights.
“One of the prosecutors’ key concerns was a request from Justice Department leadership to pursue an investigation of the victim’s spouse,” sources told The New York Times, adding that they were also troubled by the decision to treat the case as an assault on a federal officer instead of a potential civil rights matter.
In an unusual move, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, traditionally tasked with leading inquiries into improper use of force by law enforcement, was excluded from the Minneapolis probe. At least six additional prosecutors in that division’s criminal section also announced they planned to depart.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has defended the department’s stance, stating that there is “no basis for a criminal civil rights investigation” into Good’s killing — a position that has drawn sharp criticism from local officials, lawmakers, and civil rights advocates.
The fallout extends beyond the DOJ. Minnesota Democratic leaders, including Senator Amy Klobuchar and Governor Tim Walz, characterized the resignations as a blow to the rule of law and urged that career prosecutors not be pushed out for political reasons.
The resignations come amid continuing public outrage over Good’s death. Her family has retained the Chicago law firm Romanucci & Blandin, known for representing the family of George Floyd, to conduct an independent investigation and seek accountability.
