MILWAUKEE — The term "legal observer" has emerged repeatedly in coverage of Renee Nicole Good's death in Minneapolis, but many people remain unfamiliar with what the role entails.
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Good was shot and killed by a federal immigration agent during an enforcement operation. Minnesota leaders, including Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minister Janae Imari, have described her as a legal observer, though it remains unclear if she was serving in that capacity at the time of the shooting.
Emilio De Torre, executive director of the Milwaukee Turners, leads a group that specializes in training legal observers. He explains their purpose is accountability.
"A legal observer's specific role is to monitor law enforcement interactions with civilians — whether that's video, taking notes, or photos," De Torre said.
The Milwaukee Turners has trained thousands of people for the role, generally positioning them on foot and visible, but at a safe distance from the activity.
Watch: What is a legal observer? Milwaukee group explains role after Minneapolis shooting
"Legal observers look different everywhere. I mean, they're in all the states," De Torre said.
Trained legal observers wear identifying vests and work under protocols to document what happens, even during emotional scenes. They go through training and often work with experienced legal observers when they start. De Torre describes their function as essential oversight.
"You can think of legal observers as quality assurance. We're there to inspect, test and verify that our democracy — and in this instance, law enforcement, whatever that might be, city, state, federal — is also obeying the law, because our government needs to obey the laws too," De Torre said.
The Department of Homeland Security has described Good as a "domestic terrorist," saying she posed a threat to agents during the immigration enforcement operation. Supporters and officials dispute that characterization, saying she was observing, not engaged in violence.
The FBI is now leading the investigation into Good's death. As officials and supporters continue to debate her role, legal observers in Milwaukee say they'll keep showing up to watch, document, and hold all sides accountable.
Bright vests marked legal observers in the crowd at Wednesday night's demonstration in Milwaukee, where the role continues despite the controversy surrounding Good's death.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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