The parents of Alex Pretti have retained a former federal prosecutor who played a major role in convicting the police officer responsible for George Floyd’s murder, as reported by PBS. This is a huge deal and signals that the family is preparing for an intense legal battle following the tragic death of their son.
The lawyer taking on the case is Steve Schleicher, a partner at the Minneapolis firm Maslon. Mr. Schleicher has some serious credentials. He previously served as a special prosecutor for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison during the high-profile 2021 trial of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Even better, a family spokesman confirmed that Mr. Schleicher is representing Michael and Susan Pretti pro bono.
Before entering private practice, Mr. Schleicher spent 13 years working in the U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Minnesota. His online resume shows he’s handled everything from murder and organized crime to serious cases involving racketeering and federal civil rights violations. He also served as a reserve officer in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps, giving him a deep understanding of complex legal structures.
You can tell the Pretti family has secured a powerhouse attorney with experience tackling the exact kind of case they’re facing
Alex Pretti, 37, was an intensive care nurse who worked at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. He was shot multiple times while he was filming Border Patrol officers who were conducting an immigration enforcement operation. According to reports on the killing, Pretti was carrying a handgun for which he had a legal permit. Videos taken at the scene appear to show one officer removing Pretti’s legally permitted weapon just before two other officers opened fire.
The family spokesman stated that the lawyers were retained specifically to “protect the family’s interest in the aftermath of this horrific tragedy.” It’s worth noting that the Pretti family is taking a multi-pronged approach to their representation. Alex’s younger sister, Micayla Pretti, has separately hired Anthony Cotton of the firm Kuchler & Cotton, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
This tragedy follows another high-profile death earlier this year. Just before Pretti’s shooting, Minneapolis resident Renee Good was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. Good, a mother of three, has a family that has also turned to well-known legal counsel. Good’s family hired the Chicago-based firm Romanucci & Blandin, which previously represented George Floyd’s family in their legal proceedings.
The fact that two families, both dealing with the loss of a loved one during federal enforcement operations, have hired lawyers directly linked to the George Floyd case shows that these cases are quickly becoming major civil rights confrontations.
Published: Jan 29, 2026 01:00 pm