Floyd family says they can ‘breathe again’
MINNEAPOLIS: As people demanding justice for George Floyd celebrate the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for his murder, three more former officers face charges in relation to Floyd’s death.
Chauvin was convicted yesterday morning of murdering George Floyd, a milestone in the fraught racial history of the United States and a rebuke of law enforcement’s treatment of black people.
A 12member jury found Chauvin (45) guilty of all three charges of seconddegree murder, thirddegree murder and manslaughter after considering three weeks of testimony from 45 witnesses, including bystanders, police officials and medical experts
In a confrontation captured on video, Chauvin, a white veteran of the police force, pushed his knee into the neck of Floyd, a 46yearold Black man in handcuffs, for more than nine minutes on May 25, 2020.
Chauvin and three fellow officers were attempting to arrest Floyd, accused of using a fake $20 bill to buy cigarettes at a grocery store.
Deliberations in Chauvin’s trial began on Tuesday and lasted just over 10 hours.
Under Minnesota sentencing guidelines, Chauvin faces 12 and ahalf years in prison for his murder conviction as a firsttime criminal offender.
Prosecutors could seek a longer sentence of up to 40 years if Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill, who presided over the trial, determines that there were aggravating factors.
Cahill has said Chauvin’s sentencing is probably eight weeks away.
The conviction triggered a wave of relief and reflection not only across the US but in countries around the world.
In George Floyd Square, the Minneapolis traffic intersection named after Floyd, throngs of people cheered and applauded news of the guilty verdict.
On television, President Joe Biden said the killing ‘‘was a murder in the full light of day and it ripped the blinders off for the whole world to see the systemic racism’’.
‘‘This can be a giant step forward in the march toward justice in America.’’
Earlier in the day, Biden said he was praying for the ‘‘right verdict’’ — a comment that sparked criticism. He said he would not have made such a comment if the jury was not sequestered.
Floyd’s family celebrated after the verdict.
At a family news conference, Floyd’s brother, Philonise, said he had been getting messages from around the world.
‘‘They’re all saying the same thing: ‘We won’t be able to breathe until you’re able to breathe’,’’ he said.
‘‘Today, we are able to breathe again.’’
Floyd family lawyer Ben Crump said the outcome was ‘‘a victory for those who champion humanity over inhumanity, those who champion justice over injustice’’.
Now, prosecutors will turn their attention to making their case against three other officers who took part in the fatal arrest.
Tou Thao (35), J. Alexander Kueng (27) and Thomas Lane (38), all of whom were fired and arrested days after Floyd died, face charges at a trial on August 23 that they aided and abetted seconddegree murder and seconddegree manslaughter of Floyd.
Aiding and abetting murder is punishable by up to 40 years in prison, although sentencing guidelines can reduce the maximum to 15 years.
All of the men are free on $750,000 bail.
Kueng and Lane were the first officers to arrive outside the food store where Floyd was accused of passing a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes. Kueng had graduated from the police academy in 2019 and started as an officer in December.
Prosecutors said that during the fatal encounter, Kueng was between Chauvin and Lane, kneeling on Floyd’s back, with his hand on Floyd’s handcuffed left wrist.
After Floyd became unresponsive, it was Kueng who checked the right wrist for a pulse and said, ‘‘I couldn’t find one’’, prosecutors said in their complaint. None of the officers moved from their positions, the complaint said.
Having arrived at the scene with Kueng, it was Lane who ordered Floyd out of his car and handcuffed him, prosecutors said. He had been on the police force for only a matter of days.
Chauvin, Kueng and Lane each used their weight to restrain Floyd on the ground after he balked at getting into the back of a squad car, and Lane was positioned on his legs, ‘‘kneeling on them and pressing them down with his hands’’, prosecutors said.
At one point, Lane asked, ‘‘Should we roll him on his side?’’; Chauvin responded: ‘‘No, staying put where we got him.’’
Thao, who had rejoined the force in 2012 after losing his job to layoffs in 2009, arrived on the scene with Chauvin after Floyd had already been handcuffed.
Thao stood watch over the onlookers who were gathering at the scene, keeping himself positioned between them and the three other officers who were on Floyd’s prone body.
When a bystander stepped off the kerb, ‘‘imploring Chauvin to get off of Mr Floyd, [Thao] put his hands on the citizen to keep him back’’, the complaint said.
Legal experts have said Chauvin is likely to seek to overturn his convictions by arguing the jury was prejudiced by media coverage and a settlement in the civil case brought by George Floyd’s family.
Chauvin’s lawyers will have to notify the trial court within 60 days if they plan to appeal; they would then have months to review transcripts and court filings dating from the start of the case to build their arguments. — Reuters/AP/TCA
❛ This can be a giant step forward in the march toward
justice in America.
United States President Joe Biden