From today’s New York Times
Click for Original Story (NY Times)
George Floyd Updates: 3 More Officers Charged; Chauvin Murder Charge Upgraded
Three officers were charged with aiding and abetting murder in the death of George Floyd. And the officer who pressed his knee into Mr. Floyd’s neck was charged with second-degree murder.
Right Now
The Minnesota attorney general, Keith Ellison, announced the charges. “George Floyd mattered,” he said. “We will seek justice for him, and for you.”
Here’s what you need to know:
- Three more officers are charged in George Floyd’s death, and officials upgrade charges against Derek Chauvin.
- Minnesota’s attorney general asked for patience and time to build the case.
- The defense secretary says he does not want active-duty troops used on the streets for now.
- Obama will address George Floyd’s death at 5 p.m.
- Trump admits he went to a secure bunker, but claims it was only for an inspection.
- The police in Minneapolis use force against black people at seven times the rate of whites, city data shows.
- Peaceful protesters defied curfews, but minimal mayhem was reported overnight.
Three more officers are charged in George Floyd’s death, and officials upgrade charges against Derek Chauvin.
Minnesota officials charged three more former police officers on Wednesday in the death of George Floyd, and added a higher charge to those already lodged against the former officer who held his knee to Mr. Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes.
Keith Ellison, the attorney general of Minnesota, announced the charges at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.
The three, Thomas Lane, 37, J. Alexander Kueng, 26, and Tou Thao, 34, were charged with aiding and abetting murder, court records show. Mr. Kueng was in custody on Wednesday, county jail records showed. The authorities said they were in the process of arresting Mr. Lane and Mr. Thao.
The fourth, Derek Chauvin, 44, who was arrested last week, faces an increased charge of second-degree murder.
“This is a bittersweet moment,” Ben Crump, a lawyer for Mr. Floyd’s family, said in a statement. “This is a significant step forward on the road toward 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.”
All four officers were quickly fired from the Minneapolis Police Department after video of the fatal encounter emerged. Prosecutors faced growing calls for charges against all four officers, as anger and anguish over Mr. Floyd’s death sent demonstrators into the streets in cities and towns across the country over the past week.
Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota said that the new charges “are a meaningful step toward justice for George Floyd.” But he added, “We must also recognize that the anguish driving protests around the world is about more than one tragic incident.”
Mr. Thao had faced six prior misconduct complaints in his career with the Minneapolis Police Department. He also was the subject of a lawsuit that claimed he and another officer punched, kicked and kneed an African-American man, leaving the man with broken teeth and bruises. A lawyer involved in the case said that the city settled the case by agreeing to pay $25,000.
Mr. Chauvin had faced at least 17 misconduct complaints over nearly two decades with the department.
Neither Mr. Lane nor Mr. Kueng had prior misconduct complaints filed against them, according to the police department.
Finally !!!