GoFundMe Hosts Legal Fund for ICE Agent Who Killed Renee Good
▼ Summary
– GoFundMe is allowing a fundraiser for an ICE agent involved in a fatal shooting to remain active, despite its terms of service prohibiting campaigns for the legal defense of violent crimes.
– The fundraiser seeks at least $550,000 for agent Jonathan Ross, who shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a mother and military widow, during an encounter in Minneapolis.
– GoFundMe stated it is reviewing the campaign, noting its policy prohibits fundraisers for those formally charged with a violent crime, and that funds are being held during the review.
– The fundraiser’s description was altered after media inquiry, removing explicit mention of legal services, but other page elements still state its purpose is to cover legal defense costs.
– This contrasts with GoFundMe’s past actions, as it previously removed similar campaigns for officers charged in the deaths of Freddie Gray and Walter Scott for violating the same policy.
A crowdfunding effort seeking financial support for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent involved in a fatal shooting remains active on GoFundMe, raising questions about the platform’s enforcement of its own policies. The campaign, which aims to raise over half a million dollars, is for the agent identified as Jonathan Ross, who shot and killed Renee Nicole Good during an encounter in Minneapolis. Good was a mother of three and the widow of a military veteran. The fundraiser’s continued presence appears to directly conflict with GoFundMe’s published terms, which prohibit campaigns intended to support the legal defense of individuals accused of violent crimes.
The platform’s rules explicitly state that users agree not to raise funds for “the legal defense of financial and violent crimes,” listing offenses such as murder, assault, and robbery. Despite this, the campaign for Ross has not been taken down. A company spokesperson stated that GoFundMe is reviewing all fundraisers tied to the incident, noting that funds are held securely during this process. The spokesperson emphasized that their terms prohibit fundraisers for those formally charged with a violent crime, adding that any violating campaigns will be removed. Ross has not been formally charged, as the FBI is leading the investigation after federal authorities prevented Minnesota investigators from participating, leading state officials to launch a parallel evidence-gathering effort.
The organizer of the fundraiser, identified as Clyde Emmons from Michigan, initially described the purpose as helping to “pay for any legal services this officer needs.” Following inquiries, this language was altered to the more vague “Funds will go to help him.” GoFundMe did not respond to questions about whether it advised this change to better align with its rules. However, other elements on the fundraising page still clearly outline the intent, with slides stating, “Give to cover Jonathan’s legal defense” and describing it as a fund for attorney fees and court costs.
This situation stands in contrast to GoFundMe’s past actions in similar high-profile cases. In 2015, the platform removed a campaign for Baltimore police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray, citing the same policy violation against supporting legal defenses in violent cases. That same year, it took down a fundraiser for a South Carolina officer charged in the shooting of Walter Scott. A company spokeswoman stated at the time that GoFundMe cannot be used to benefit those charged with serious violations of the law, noting that assisting with legal fees is a direct terms of service violation. The differing response in the current case has sparked scrutiny over the consistency of policy enforcement.
(Source: Wired)
