Osler's Razor: People Who Give Us Hope: Joe Thompson, Melinda Williams, Harry Jacobs, and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

People Who Give Us Hope: Joe Thompson, Melinda Williams, Harry Jacobs, and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez

In this second edition of Wednesday profiles of people who give us hope, I lift up the six people who resigned this week from the U.S. Attorney's office in Minneapolis (four of whom, named above, are known). Though I won't speculate about the exact reason they left, the resignations come as that office has been pulled into debates about the investigation into the killing of Renee Good.

Here in Minneapolis, this is a big deal-- the best prosecutor's office in the state has lost its top leadership short of the U.S. Attorney himself, who does not have a background in criminal law.

Again, I don't know what made these six lawyers quit, but I do know it was sudden, and that it comes at great personal cost. These are people who love the work they do, and are very good at it. I doubt they have a next job lined up-- they are simply unemployed. And they made this sacrifice for principle.

Sacrifice for principle... we could use a lot more of that, but in the circle of power it seems to be out of vogue.

# posted by Mark Osler @ 1:00 AM