The parents of Alex Pretti have retained a former federal prosecutor who helped Minnesota’s attorney general convict the police officer who kneeled on George Floyd’s neck of murder.
Pretti, an intensive care nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, was shot multiple times on Saturday as he was filming Border Patrol officers conducting an immigration enforcement operation.
Steve Schleicher, a partner at the Minneapolis firm Maslon, is an experienced litigator who served as a special prosecutor for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison in the 2021 trial of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
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, handling cases ranging from murder to organized crime, racketeering and federal civil rights violations, according to an online resume. He also served as a reserve officer in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps.
Schleicher is representing Michael and Susan Pretti pro bono, according to a family spokesman.
Pretti’s younger sister, Micayla Pretti, has separately hired attorney Anthony Cotton of Kuchler & Cotton in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The lawyers were retained to “protect the family’s interest in the aftermath of this horrific tragedy,” the spokesman said.
Pretti, 37, was carrying a handgun for which he had a legal permit and videos of the killing appear to show one officer remove the weapon before two others opened fire.
Pretti’s death followed the Jan. 7 death of Minneapolis resident Renee Good, a mother of three shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. Good’s family has hired the Chicago-based firm Romanucci & Blandin, which previously represented Floyd ‘s family.
The involvement of a high-profile former federal prosecutor has intensified scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding Alex Pretti’s death and raised broader questions about the conduct of federal immigration enforcement operations. Legal experts say the decision by the Pretti family to retain Steve Schleicher signals an expectation of a prolonged legal battle that could include civil litigation and potential federal civil rights claims.
According to family representatives, Schleicher’s role is not limited to seeking accountability for the officers involved but also to ensuring transparency in the investigative process. They have repeatedly called for the immediate release of all body-camera footage, radio communications, and internal reports related to the shooting, arguing that public trust depends on full disclosure.
Pretti’s status as a legally armed civilian has become a central issue in the case. Video footage circulating online appears to show an officer securing Pretti’s handgun before additional shots were fired, a sequence that has fueled debate over whether the use of lethal force was justified. Federal authorities have declined to comment on specific details, citing the ongoing investigation.
The case has also drawn comparisons to other recent fatal encounters involving federal officers in Minnesota, including the January 7 killing of Renee Good. Civil rights advocates argue that the two deaths, occurring within weeks of each other, point to systemic problems in the planning and execution of immigration enforcement actions in civilian settings.
Meanwhile, Pretti’s sister, Micayla Pretti, has retained separate legal counsel, indicating that multiple legal avenues may be pursued. Attorneys representing the family say their ultimate goal is not only justice for Alex Pretti but also meaningful reforms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
As investigations continue at both the federal and state levels, the case is expected to remain under intense public and political scrutiny, with implications that could extend far beyond Minnesota.
