Other 3 cops to be charged in George Floyd’s death, Derek Chauvin now faces second-degree murder rap
In this file photo, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison answers questions during a news conference in St. Paul, Minn., about the investigation into the death of George Floyd, who died May 25, while in the custody of Minneapolis police officers. (John Autey/AP)
Prosecutors in Minnesota plan to elevate charges against the cop accused of murdering George Floyd and charge the other three cops who were present during the fatal arrest, Sen. Amy Klobuchar said Wednesday.
Fired Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin, who’s being held on a third-degree murder charge, will be charged with second-degree murder while his former colleagues — Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane — will be charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder, according to Klobuchar and a report by The Star Tribune.
Attorney General Keith Ellison, whose office took over the investigation this week, is expected to make a public announcement Wednesday afternoon.
“This is another important step for justice,” Klobuchar tweeted just before 2 p.m.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is increasing charges against Derek Chauvin to 2nd degree in George Floyd’s murder and also charging other 3 officers. This is another important step for justice.
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Floyd’s family and critics have been calling for charges against all four cops as the horrific May 25 homicide fuels a wave of protests against police brutality and systemic racism across the country.
Chauvin, who is white, was caught on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, blatantly ignoring the black man’s repeated pleas that he couldn’t breathe. Lane and Keung, meanwhile, helped restrain the handcuffed suspect on the ground while Thao watched from inches away.
All four were fired a day after the incident.
But no arrests were made until four days later, when Chauvin was taken into custody on charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Civil right attorney Ben Crump, who’s representing the Floyd family, released a statement in anticipation of Ellison’s announcement Wednesday.
“This is a bittersweet moment for the family of George Floyd," he wrote. “This is a significant step forward on the road to justice, and we are gratified that this important action was brought before George Floyd’s body was laid to rest. That is a source of peace for George’s family in this painful time.”
Crump said Ellison’s office also told the family that the investigation would continue and the charges against Chauvin would be upgraded to first-degree murder “if the evidence supports it.”
Police claim Floyd, 46, was being investigated on suspicion of passing a counterfeit bill when the unarmed father of two began to “physically resist arrest.” Multiple videos from the scene appear to contradict that account.
In addition, two competing autopsies ruled that Floyd died from police homicide. The one commissioned by his family shows that Lane and Keung, the two cops who had their knees on Floyd’s back, compressed his lungs in a way that contributed to his death.
Ellison’s office did not immediately return a request for more information.
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