The Chicago-based civil rights attorneys hired by the family of slain Minneapolis resident Renee Good have informed the federal government of their intent to bring a civil suit seeking damages for her killing against several agencies.
Romanucci & Blandin Law also requested the federal government preserve and make available evidence collected after Good’s Jan. 7 fatal shooting in Minneapolis, allegedly by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Jonathan Ross, a former Peoria resident.
“You are hereby notified that (Good’s survivors) anticipate bringing legal action against the United States of America, Jonathan Ross, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Homeland Security the United States of America, and/or others arising from the Incident, including for: the use of excessive force against and the battery of Renee Good; negligence; intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress; wrongful imprisonment; and other similar wrongful acts,” a letter delivered Friday stated, in part.
The letter also warned the government that failure to put a “litigation hold” on the requested evidence “could lead to potential sanctions for non-compliance with legal and ethical obligations” against the government.
“This preservation notice should not be considered routine, as there is a considerable danger that evidence may be lost or destroyed in the immediate future. Among other things, it has been reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has seized important evidence related to the Incident and has expressly refused to share that information with state and local law enforcement authorities,” the attorneys wrote.
“In addition, numerous high-ranking members of the executive branch have made statements that appear to have preordained the outcome of the FBI investigation,” they added. “The actions and statements of numerous federal officials following the incident call into question whether the federal entities identified in this notice intend to act in good faith with regard to investigation of and preservation of evidence concerning the incident.”
Items cited in their “preservation of evidence” request to the government include the vehicle Ross was driving when shot to death, along with audio recordings and videos. In all, 24 items were listed as evidence to be preserved.
“The demand encompasses any evidence related to this matter in any form, including physical evidence like Renee’s vehicle and electronically stored information, videos and communications between agents,” according to a statement issued by Romanucci & Blandin.
The Chicago law firm represented the family of George Floyd and represents the family of Sonya Massey, who were both slain by police.
Floyd was a Black man murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis during a 2020 arrest. His family received a $27 million settlement from the city of Minneapolis.
Massey was a 36-year-old Black woman murdered by white Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson, 30, during a call at Massey’s home in Woodside Township near Springfield. Grayson, who was convicted of second-degree murder in December, will be sentenced later this month.
In its statement, Romanucci & Blandin also addressed “persistent false reports” circulating online that mischaracterize Renee Good’s background.
“Contrary to claims published on various platforms, there is no record of Renee Good having a criminal or felony history. Neither she nor Becca Good has a criminal record, and (they) have only been cited for traffic infractions years ago,” according to the legal team.
“Assertions suggesting Renee had an extensive criminal history, including fabricated mugshots and similar content, are unequivocally false,” they said. “Renee and Becca Good were responsible community members who lived peacefully and did not engage in harmful conduct toward others, including the federal agents involved on January 7, 2026. We are monitoring these defamatory reports closely.
“Any publication or repetition of demonstrably false, defamatory material about Ms. Good or Ms. Good’s character will be treated as libelous, and we intend to pursue all available legal remedies against media organizations and individuals responsible for disseminating such misinformation.”
Good’s survivors, who are represented by Romanucci & Blandin, include her wife, Becca; her parents, Tim and Donna Ganger; and her siblings.
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