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Parents Slam Trump Admin for Withholding Evidence in Alex Pretti's Killing
Confirmed
In Short: The parents of Alex Pretti criticized the Trump administration for withholding evidence from local prosecutors investigating his death.
At a news conference Tuesday, Michael and Susan Pretti accused the federal government of withholding critical evidence for 275 days following their son's death.
The federal government has kept us in the dark," Michael Pretti said, adding that the government's actions are "baffling, disappointing and reprehensible.
The parents said they had sent a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche over the summer, pleading for basic information about the case, including the identities of the officers involved.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty echoed the Prettis' frustration, stating that the federal government had stopped sharing information with Minnesota authorities investigating Pretti's killing.
"How is it possible that the Department of Justice is not sharing evidence?" Moriarty asked, emphasizing the need for transparency.
The Prettis' lawyer, Schleicher, noted that under the Crime Victims Rights Act, the family is entitled to see any evidence related to the shooting.
"At every turn, they have ignored us, misled us and shielded Alex’s killers," Michael Pretti said, emphasizing the family's frustration.
The shootings occurred in January, following the deployment of more than 3,000 immigration officers and agents to Minnesota as part of Operation Metro Surge, the largest immigration enforcement operation by the Department of Homeland Security.
"The timing is consistent with how these types of investigations proceed," Moriarty said, but she noted that the federal government's response has been obstructive.
"We are here begging for the Department of Justice to do what is right," Susan Pretti said, emphasizing the family's desire for justice.
"We want our son’s killers to be brought into justice once and for all," Susan Pretti added, highlighting the family's ongoing struggle.
"The federal government went on TV and lied about Alex. They tried to slander his memory to cover up their crime," Susan Pretti said, accusing the government of attempting to mislead the public.
What this adds
The Trump administration's refusal to share evidence with local prosecutors adds to concerns about the impact of immigration policies under the Trump administration on states like Minnesota.
The family's lawsuit, filed in March, seeks to compel federal officials to share key evidence related to Pretti's death and the shootings of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis and Renee Good.
Background
The report's findings add to the growing body of evidence that immigration policies under the Trump administration are having a detrimental effect on the U.S. economy, particularly in states like Massachusetts that rely heavily on international students and skilled workers.
The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to weigh in on whether and when a federal court can throw out an agency’s action or rule in its entirety, specifically in the context of a policy denying bond hearings for immigrants.
What's confirmed
- “As is standard practice, communications with family members, if any, come at a later stage of a case, such as indictment, initial appearance, plea, trial, or sentencing,” Pels said in a statement.
What's still developing
- Moriarty said at the time that she expected to receive “all the evidence.” That changed this month, according to Moriarty.
- Moriarty’s office sued the Trump administration in March to compel federal officials to share key evidence pertaining to Pretti’s death and the shootings of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan man who was wounded by an ICE officer, and Renee Good, who was fatally shot by another ICE officer.
- In July, Minnesota officials said the federal government was starting to turn over evidence in the cases, including police body camera video and hard drives containing statements.
- Kiersten Pels, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice, told NBC News that communications between federal officials and victims’ families “do not typically occur” during an investigation.
Sources
- Reuterslink
- NBC Newslink
- The Japan Timeslink
- WarpBeat — background on How the Trump administration's crackdown on international students could affect the economy link
- WarpBeat — background on Trump administration asks justices to determine courts’ ability to vacate federal agency actions link
- Reuters — video link