Minnesota says federal authorities have again stopped handing over evidence needed to investigate the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti—a dispute now before a federal judge that pits state criminal investigations against the government’s control of evidence involving its own officers.
The state’s October court filings say federal sharing began after a June agreement and a July 13 announcement that investigators had received body-camera footage, hard drives and Good’s SUV. But Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty says the U.S. Attorney’s Office told her on September 10 that sharing was paused indefinitely “in light of challenges with D.C.”
Investigators say important material remains in federal hands. In Good’s case, that includes her clothing, the phone of the officer who shot her and interview recordings. In Pretti’s case, Minnesota says it has not received officers’ firearms and phones, a recorded officer statement, projectiles and casings, or a gun taken from Pretti before he was shot. The state also seeks grand-jury material related to the nonfatal shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis.
Minnesota sued the Justice and Homeland Security departments in March. On October 13, it asked the judge to rule in its favor without a trial and order the evidence turned over. The Justice Department’s October 20 reply urged dismissal or transfer of the case, arguing that its rules for releasing agency records did not apply when Minnesota made its requests and that withholding information was within its discretion.
The dispute reaches beyond these investigations: it tests whether state authorities can obtain evidence to examine possible crimes by federal officers, even when federal agencies control that evidence. No criminal charges have been filed in the Good or Pretti shootings, and the judge has not ruled on the competing requests. Federal authorities have not publicly explained when sharing might resume.