All Four Officers Involved In the Unjust Death of George Floyd Have Been Charged

From Seventeen

On May 25, 46-year-old George Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground and pressed his knee into his neck, while Floyd pleaded for help and repeatedly said he could not breathe. The officers were responding to "a report of a counterfeit bill being passed" when they located and handcuffed Floyd, who was pronounced dead at the Hennepin County Medical Center following the encounter.

The disturbing interaction was filmed and quickly shared online, the four officers involved in the incident have since been fired, and the FBI is also investigating. However, the officers had yet to be charged, though Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has said the arresting officer should be.

"The technique that was used is not permitted; is not a technique that our officers get trained in on," Frey said. "And our chief has been very clear on that piece. There is no reason to apply that kind of pressure with a knee to someone's neck."

June 3, 2020

On June 3, CNN reported that all four officers involved in the exchange that killed Floyd would be charged, according to a tweet from Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. The state's Attorney General Keith Ellison is also increasing Chauvin's charge to second-degree murder. According to charging documents filed Wednesday (via BuzzFeed News), the three officers alongside Chauvin have been charged with aiding and abetting a crime.

The three other officers now charged and facing two charges each of aiding and abetting Chauvin in connection to Floyd's death are Thomas Lane and J.A. Keung, who assisted in restraining Floyd and Tou Thao, who watched the events nearby, per CNN. CNN noted that Ellison's formal announcement of charges is expected to come on Wednesday afternoon, more than a week after Floyd's death and nationwide protests calling for justice.

Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the Floyd family, told CNN Wednesday, "I am confident that these officers will be charged before people in Minneapolis say their final goodbyes to George Floyd, may he rest in peace," referencing a public memorial scheduled in the city tomorrow. According to Minnesota law, third-degree murder carries a sentence of up to 25 years, and is considered when someone causes someone's death "without intent." Second-degree murder carries a sentence of up to 40 years.

Separate autopsies from experts hired by Floyd's family and the Hennepin County Medical Examiner both concluded that his death was a homicide, CNN reported. However, the two entities diverged on what caused the homicide. The independent autopsy said Floyd died of "asphyxiation from sustained pressure" when his neck and back were compressed by Minneapolis officers during the arrest. This means pressure cut off blood flow to his brain.

Meanwhile, the medical examiner's office said the cause of death is "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression." This means that Floyd's heart failed and their release says heart disease was a factor in his death, with no mention of asphyxiation. The independent examiner didn't find signs of heart disease.

For days after Floyd's death, protestors have poured into the streets of Minneapolis near the site where Floyd was arrested, chanting Floyd's words from the video: "I can't breathe." The phrase is also a direct reminder of the death of Eric Garner, who said the same words in 2014, after being held in a chokehold by police in New York. Garner was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

The Minneapolis protestors have been met with officers using tear gas and rubber bullets, a stark contrast to the way police recently responded to white demonstrators who have protested for states to open back up in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On May 27, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz tweeted that the protests had turned "extremely dangerous" and urged people to leave, and the next day, Walz declared a state of emergency and activated the state's National Guard. Over the course of the week, people have been looting stores, and at one point, set an evacuated police precinct on fire. TIME has reported that one man was shot to death during the protests in Minneapolis; police have said they have a suspect in custody.

While reporting on the protests last Friday morning, a crew of CNN journalists were arrested by state police live on television after identifying themselves as members of the media. The crew has since been released from police custody.

President Donald Trump tweeted early last Friday morning in response to the protests:

He continued:

The above tweet has been marked by Twitter as violating the “Twitter Rules about glorifying violence.”

Attorney Benjamin Crump is currently representing Floyd's family and tweeted on Thursday, "#GeorgeFloyd’s family thanks all of the protesters for joining them in standing for JUSTICE. They know we’re all hurting and any decent human being who watches the video of police killing their Gentle Giant will also feel shortness of breath." Crump is a civil rights attorney who is also representing the families of Ahmaud Arbery, who was shot and killed while out for a run in Georgia, and Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed by police in her Kentucky apartment.

If you are looking for ways to speak out against Floyd's death, help his family, or get educated on the history of systemic racism and police violence in the United States, consider:

• Donating to the memorial fund George Floyd's family has set up. The GoFundMe page also includes an address where anyone can send cards or contributions.

• Contacting the Minneapolis mayor and the Hennepin County attorney at 612-673-2100 and 612-348-5550, respectively. You can also email the attorney at citizeninfo@hennpin.us, or contact the Minneapolis police department at police@minneapolismn.gov.

• Continuing to educate yourself, speaking out against injustice, and expanding your anti-racism work. Writers and activists Sarah Sophie Flicker and Alyssa Klein have compiled a document of resources, if you need a place to begin. There are also several anti-racism book lists, including this and this.

• Reading more about George Floyd and how his friends and family remember him. One friend, Vanita Williams, told BuzzFeed News: "He was articulate. He was grounded. He was spiritual. He was an athlete. He was an organizer. He was a comforter. He was an encourager."

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