On Monday, February 16, the Modern Prosecution Program and the Criminal Law Society at Catholic Law hosted a compelling discussion titled "The Case for a Joint Civil Rights and State Investigation into the Minneapolis Shootings." The event centered on the urgent need for comprehensive inquiries into the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. The panel featured two distinguished experts: Samantha Trepel, a veteran civil rights prosecutor known for her work on the George Floyd case, and Dan Zachem, a retired homicide prosecutor with 22 years of experience at the DC US Attorney’s office. Together, they highlighted the crucial value of collaboration between federal and state law enforcement and warned against the dangers of departing from standard investigatory norms in officer-involved shootings.

The discussion drew an engaged audience who posed a wide range of questions to the panelists. The evening concluded with a powerful call to action from Zachem, who encouraged the law students in attendance to dedicate a portion of their future careers to the criminal justice system. Whether serving as defense attorneys or prosecutors, he emphasized that such service offers a life-altering opportunity to help others while fostering immense personal and professional growth.