Minnesota Family Hires Former Prosecutor to Represent Son Shot by Border Patrol
The parents of Alex Pretti have retained a seasoned lawyer who played a crucial role in the prosecution of Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd. Steve Schleicher, a partner at Minneapolis firm Maslon, will represent Michael and Susan Pretti pro bono after his son was fatally shot by U.S. Border Patrol officers during an immigration enforcement operation.
Schleicher's experience in handling high-profile cases was highlighted in his previous role as special prosecutor for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison during Chauvin's trial in 2021. Prior to entering private practice, Schleicher served as a state prosecutor and worked for 13 years in the office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota, where he handled cases ranging from murder to organized crime.
The lawyers were retained by the Pretti family to protect their interests following the tragic incident. Alex Pretti's younger sister, Micayla, has also hired attorney Anthony Cotton of Kuchler & Cotton in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as a separate representation.
Videos of the shooting appear to show one officer removing the handgun from Alex Pretti before two others opened fire, sparking widespread outrage and calls for accountability. This incident follows the recent death of Minneapolis resident Renee Good, who was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer on January 7th.
The parents of Alex Pretti have retained a seasoned lawyer who played a crucial role in the prosecution of Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd. Steve Schleicher, a partner at Minneapolis firm Maslon, will represent Michael and Susan Pretti pro bono after his son was fatally shot by U.S. Border Patrol officers during an immigration enforcement operation.
Schleicher's experience in handling high-profile cases was highlighted in his previous role as special prosecutor for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison during Chauvin's trial in 2021. Prior to entering private practice, Schleicher served as a state prosecutor and worked for 13 years in the office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota, where he handled cases ranging from murder to organized crime.
The lawyers were retained by the Pretti family to protect their interests following the tragic incident. Alex Pretti's younger sister, Micayla, has also hired attorney Anthony Cotton of Kuchler & Cotton in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as a separate representation.
Videos of the shooting appear to show one officer removing the handgun from Alex Pretti before two others opened fire, sparking widespread outrage and calls for accountability. This incident follows the recent death of Minneapolis resident Renee Good, who was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer on January 7th.
You can't help but feel so bad for this family 
. And now they're having to deal with the complexities of getting justice done 
. Hired a lawyer who's got serious credentials on his resume 
, but it's just not going to bring back Alex 
. It makes you wonder how many more families have to go through this? 
And what about all these new laws and policies being made around immigration? It's like, what's the real goal here? Protecting people or making sure the system is followed to the letter? 
I just wish we could have a more open and honest conversation about all this without so much drama 
.
and we ended up taking a detour through this super quirky town in the middle of nowhere... it had this crazy old diner that was still open 24/7 and they served the most epic cheese curds I've ever had 
. anyway, where was I? oh yeah, this border patrol thing... it's just so messed up 
The US Border Patrol is under so much scrutiny again! I mean, I'm all about keeping our borders safe and secure, but come on... a kid gets shot by the people who are supposed to be helping him, not harming him 
. It's heartbreaking what happened to their son, and they deserve someone with his experience to help fight for justice. But at the same time, I can understand why the border patrol might have been trying to make a quick arrest in that situation 
. We need to figure out how to balance our desire to keep our borders secure with making sure people aren't being killed or hurt by law enforcement 
. This case is definitely going to spark some important conversations about police accountability and immigration reform... it's all about finding that middle ground 
my guess is it's gonna be a long & expensive process... also, what exactly are we waiting for here? just some answers about how/why this happened? 
. And in the last year alone, there have been over 200 reported cases of people being shot by immigration enforcement officers... like Alex Pretti 
. Did you know that since 2017, the US has seen a 30% increase in deaths at the southern border? The stats are just numbers, but they tell a story of tragedy and loss 
.
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The fact that there are lawyers willing to give their time and effort to these cases is just a testament to how much people care about justice and doing what's right. And let's not forget all the outrage and calls for accountability - it's not easy to talk about, but it's great that we're having this conversation! 
. But I guess that's what makes him a good lawyer - he can take on tough cases like this one.
the fact that his family needs a former prosecutor like steve schleicher on their side just shows how messed up things can get in america sometimes 