Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) announced on Sunday that Keith Ellison, the state’s attorney general, will head the criminal case on the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after white police officer Derek Chauvin dug his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes during an arrest last week.
“Keith Ellison, our attorney general of Minnesota, needs to lead this case,” Walz said during a press briefing, per the Minnesota Star Tribune.
The governor told reporters that he had taken the unusual step of appointing Ellison to lead the case instead of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, who would ordinarily be the one to do so, in order to assure Floyd’s family that the proper steps would be taken to prosecute those involved in the incident.
“They wanted the system to work for them,” Walz said. “They wanted to believe that there was trust, and they wanted to believe that the facts would be heard and justice would be served.”
Ellison, who was also present at the press conference, confirmed that he and Freeman would both be handling the case.
“I anticipate that we’re going to be working constructively together,” the attorney general said.
On Friday, Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter over Floyd’s death. It is unknown yet if the other police officers who helped Chauvin pin down Floyd will also be charged. All officers involved have been fired.
Floyd’s death has prompted protests that have turned violent in Minneapolis and other major cities across the U.S. over the past several days.
Jared: We’re gonna need a bigger diaper.
As it should have been from the beginning.
Not sure what this does for the cause, but if that’s going to bring some calm to the situation, then fine.
First thing is to arrest the other three fellows. Even police officials are calling for that.
Here’s hoping that working together constructively means charges against the other officers and a re-evaluation of the charges against
Chauvin. Keeping his knee of Floyd’s neck and keeping him prone even after another officer suggested moving him to a safer position and then keeping his knee there for 3 minutes after Floyd went unconscious and for more then a minute after another officer announced he could not find a pulse is enough to bring a stronger murder charge. If he had immediately started CPR, it probably would have been hard to prove more than manslaughter, or maybe Minnesota’s version of Murder 3. But he didn’t even relax his knee placement when he felt Floyd go limp, or when he knew his victim had no pulse.
Generally, prosecutors are not known for undercharging as opposed to heaping on in anticipation of plea negotiations or a trial in which lesser included charges can be given as an option to the jury.