The family of Renee Nicole Macklin Good has hired the same prominent civil rights attorneys who represented George Floyd’s family, signaling an aggressive legal push following Good’s fatal shooting by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis earlier this month. The move suggests the family is preparing for a high-profile fight for accountability as multiple investigations continue.
[read more]
In a statement released Wednesday, the family announced they are being represented by Antonio M. Romanucci and attorneys from Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, the Chicago-based firm that helped secure a historic $27 million settlement in the Floyd case. Minneapolis attorney Kevin Riach is also serving as co-counsel. The legal team said it will pursue an independent civil investigation into Good’s death.
Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot and killed on January 7 during an encounter with an officer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a residential street in south Minneapolis. Federal authorities have released few details, confirming only that the shooting occurred during an enforcement action and that internal and external reviews remain ongoing.
Founding Partner Antonio Romanucci
In their statement, the family called for peace while condemning what they described as unconstitutional conduct by federal agents. “What happened to Renee is wrong, contrary to established policing practices and procedures, and should never happen in today’s America,” the family said, adding that communities nationwide are increasingly alarmed by federal law enforcement actions.
Romanucci said public concern over the case remains intense, with many demanding answers about how Good was killed shortly after dropping her child off at school. He said the legal team will release information as it becomes available and vowed to push for transparency and accountability, with the broader goal of reforming policing practices.
Attorneys for the family allege that after Good was shot, federal agents failed to immediately render aid and prevented a bystander who identified himself as a physician from helping her. Federal officials have defended the ICE agent, saying he suffered internal injuries during the confrontation and believed he was acting in self-defense. Authorities have also said the agent has received threats since the shooting and is being kept in a secure location, while Good’s former father-in-law has publicly stated he does not blame the officer, calling the incident a tragic, split-second encounter.[/read]