Democratic Leaders’ Statement on Death of Renee Good
- slcnydems
- 24 hours ago
- 2 min read
This fact is undeniable: a 37-year-old mother of three, Renee Nicole Good, was killed by an ICE officer on January 7 in Minneapolis. This is all we know for sure about the tragic event. Almost immediately, Dept. of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem exonerated the agents involved without investigation, as did President Trump and others, triggering responses from Minnesota officials. Claims of injury to agents were made without evidence. The FBI is denying the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension access to case materials, evidence, and witness accounts, causing the state to cease its own investigation. Such actions will likely have the effect of diminishing trust in the investigation the FBI says it will conduct.
In the not-so-distant past, prudent minds would have called for a full investigation and accountability for any wrongdoing. Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies would have worked together to uncover the truth. Law enforcement and media outlets would only report what they know to be verified fact, and elected and appointed officials would mourn the tragic death while seeking clarity and not provoking further division with false statements.
After a complete investigation, those involved would have been granted due process, exonerated or punished, and agencies and governments would review policies and procedures to ensure that such a tragedy never happened again. Sadly, it seems that those days are long gone. Those days may have passed but they do not have to disappear.
Ordinary Americans can turn the tide and save us from an Orwellian caricature of America. Going forward we must love and protect our neighbors, organize, and vote. Good can prevail.
Mike Zagrobelny and Ginger Storey-Welch
Chair and Vice-Chair of St. Lawrence County Democrats
