The three cops who watched on as Minneapolis police officer George Chauvin knelt on George Floyd's neck will have their first court ap...
The three cops who watched on as Minneapolis police officer George Chauvin knelt on George Floyd's neck will have their first court appearances Thursday afternoon on charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
Thomas Lane, J.A. Kueng and Tou Thao are set to appear at 1:30pm on Thursday.
Their court appearances were brought forward by 45 minutes from when they were originally scheduled. No official reason was given for the schedule change, the initial time would have coincided with a televised memorial for Floyd in Minneapolis that will begin at 2pm.
Lane and Thao were both processed at the city's Hennepin County jail shortly after 5pm Wednesday. Kueng had turned himself in at the same facility earlier in the afternoon.
The trio now face a maximum sentence of 40 years behind bars after Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced their charges.
Chauvin - who was originally charged with third-degree murder - has now been slapped with an additional charge of second-degree murder. He now also faces 40 years in prison.
The three cops who watched on as Minneapolis police officer George Chauvin knelt on George Floyd's neck as he died are in custody after being charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. J.A. Kueng is pictured left, Thomas Lane is seen at right
Tou Thao is pictured left, Derek Chauvin is seen at right. Chauvin was slapped with an additional second-degree murder charge Wednesday
It comes after a week of global outrage and civil unrest across America during which millions called for the officers to be brought to justice.
George Floyd mattered. His life had value and we will seek justice for him and for you and we will find it
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon: 'I strongly believe these developments are in the interest of justice for Mr Floyd, his family, this community and this state.'
He said he did not allow public pressure to influence his decision and warned it would be 'months' before he and his team build a 'solid' enough case to go to trial.
Another angle of the infamous video shows Chauvin with his knee on Floyd's neck and the three other cops right beside him in Minneapolis last Monday
The updated complaint against Derek Chauvin that was filed on Wednesday afternoon charging him with second-degree murder
Floyd, 46, (left) died last Monday after begging for his life for nearly nine minutes while Chauvin knelt on his neck and the other cops watched. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (right) announcing the charges on Wednesday afternoon
At his press conference, Ellison thanked the public for giving him time to bring the charges.
'I asked for time for to review all the evidence. The investigation is ongoing at this time. I know it's asking a lot of people to give us time and yet we did get that time.
'Together, a very strong experienced team, we reviewed the evidence and we have something to announce today.
'Thank you for the patience of the people they've shown me in pursuit of justice,' he said.
He added that the case was under investigation and asked for anyone with evidence to come forward with it.
'We are investigating as quickly as we can and as thoroughly as we can. Every single link in the prosecutorial chain must be strong.
'Trying this case will not be an easy thing.
'I say this not because we doubt our resources or our ability but history does show there are clear challenges here and we are going to be working very hard to support that endeavor.
'To the Floyd family, I say: George Floyd mattered. His life had value and we will seek justice for him and for you and we will find it.
'The very fact that we have filed these charges means that we believe in it.'
He warned the investigation would take 'months' and said he wanted to build a 'solid case' and not rush a trial.
'It will take a while and I can't set a deadline on that, he said.
Ellison added that the charges being brought should not bring an end to the global outrage over injustice that Floyd's death has caused.
'A protest can shake a tree and make the fruit fall down but after that fruit is in reach, collecting it and making the jam must follow.
'The demonstrations and protests are dramatic and necessary but building just institutions is more of a slow grind. We have to begin that work now,' he said.
The Floyd family called the charges a 'bittersweet moment'. They wanted Chauvin to be hit with first-degree murder charges.
All four cops were fired when the video surfaced last week but the three others were not charged initially, to the dismay of Floyd and protesters around the world who say they complicit because they did nothing to prevent Floyd's death.
The case was taken out of the hands of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman and handed over to Minnesota AG Keith Ellison earlier this week after a groundswell of outrage over how the case had been handled to date.
Quincy Mason Floyd, George Floyd's son, (center) kneels at the spot where he died last Monday
Quincy kneeling at the site where his father died on Wednesday afternoon
George Floyd's adult son Quincy Mason Floyd (pictured center) visited the site where his father died in Minneapolis last Monday
The site where Floyd was killed has now become a tribute to him. His brother Terrence is shown crying as he visits on Monday
Protesters descended on the White House again on Wednesday as peaceful demonstrations continued around the world
On Tuesday night NYPD officers blocked 5,000 Brooklyn protesters from entering Manhattan during the second night of the city's curfew
Ellison's office vowed to carry out a full overhaul of the investigation, including whether Chauvin's charges should be upgraded from third-degree murder to first-degree murder.
The new development came as Floyd's adult son - Quincy Mason Floyd - visited the site where his father died. Crump also told reporters that he'd been informed a decision on the case had been reached.
Both Chauvin and Thao had been complained about for their use of force in the past.
Tou Thao, was part of a $25,000 out of court settlement after being sued for using excessive force in 2017.
A lawsuit obtained by the DailyMail.com shows Thao was sued for using excessive force in an arrest where he was accused of punching and kicking a handcuffed suspect 'until his teeth broke'.
In 2006 Derek Chauvin, 44, was one of six officers connected to the death of Wayne Reyes.
Reyes, 42 was killed by officers after allegedly pulling a shotgun on the six cops, which included Chauvin.
Two years later Chauvin was investigated for his role in the 2008 shooting of Ira Latrell Toles during a domestic assault call.
Toles was wounded after police said he went for an officer’s gun and Chauvin shot him.
And in 2011 23-year-old Leroy Martinez was shot and injured during a chase given by officers including Chauvin. Lane and Keung are reportedly rookies.
The announcement on Wednesday comes after more than a week of civil unrest across the United States which has seen thousands of peaceful protests, a social media blackout in the name of racial justice, and out-of-control looting and violence.
The unrest began last week in Minneapolis - where Floyd was killed - but it quickly spread across the nation and sparked conversations of police brutality and racial inequality around the world.
Floyd was accused of using a forged $20 bill to pay for something when the police were called on him.
The 46-year-old father begged for his life as Chauvin knelt on his neck without flinching.
The three other cops held Chauvin restrain him despite him pleading for breath and saying his chest and neck hurt.
A video of the incident that was filmed by disgusted bystanders went viral and sparked the investigation into the police officers.
Initially, they were only fired. Chauvin was then charged but unsatisfied critics demanded the others be brought to justice.
President Trump has been widely criticized for his response to the national row which has to been to order governors to take a tougher stance in their handling of the crisis.
He has been urging Governors to utilize the military and take as tough a stance as possible.
Earlier this week, he hid in a bunker in the White House as protesters threw objects at Secret Service agents.
He then had protesters cleared with tear gas to walk over to a church in Washington DC for a photo-opp.
Trump was particularly critical of New York City which he said was 'totally out of control.
After scrambling to keep up with looters on Monday night, NYPD officers - who all had their leave canceled on Tuesday - were seen arresting protesters for breaking curfew on Tuesday all over Manhattan.
They blocked a huge protest on the Manhattan Bridge, stopping some 5,000 marchers who planned to enter the city from Brooklyn.
After holding the protesters on the bridge for more than two hours in a tense stand-off, the protesters retreated peacefully back into Brooklyn.
Some businesses, still unwilling to put their faith in the NYPD, have hired private security.
Saks Fifth Avenue on Wednesday was surrounded by a militia of private, armed guards. They held dogs on leashes and stood in front of plywood walls that had been reinforced with razor wire to protect the luxury department store.
'Anyone who is out and cannot prove they are there for essential reasons can be detained,' Mayor de Blasio said on Wednesday morning, warning against anyone who thinks they can flout the curfew.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday that the situation overnight was a vast improvement on the previous 48 hours.
Trump claimed on Tuesday that the city was 'totally out of control'. On Wednesday, he said the National Guard was 'ready'.
Gov. Cuomo was hesitant to call in the Guard as was de Blasio. They both said the NYPD could handle it in a better way.
On Wednesday, Cuomo said: 'New York City last night was much better. The police officers had the resources and capacity to do their jobs. The results last night were much, much better than the night before.
'The people of New York City should feel much better today than they did after the night of looting.'
Terrence Floyd, George Floyd's brother, on Wednesday joined NYPD Commisisioner Shea at a press conference where he warned looters: 'Don't do it in the name of George Floyd.
'You're disrespecting his legacy.
'We have an issue in New York City, which is a good thing in terms of having a relationship and bridging the gap in this hostile environment.
'Now, we can have a voice and turn something negative into a conversation that can lead to positive,' he said.
Ten protests are scheduled to take place across the city between 1pm and 7pm, including one at Gracie Mansion, where de Blasio lives.
The calmer scenes in New York City were echoed across much of America where protesters once again turned out in force but the confrontations with police were subdued and widespread rioting was limited.
It followed a day of anger from President Trump's critics over the way he threatened to deploy the military to quell riots across the US and cleared protesters in Washington DC so he could visit damaged St John's Episcopal Church.
He also considered using 'tanks' or other armored military vehicles to help restore order in the US after violent protests broke out across the country for a sixth night, defense officials have revealed.
This morning the president repeated his demand for 'LAW & ORDER!', urged police to 'get tough' and responded to an image of a boarded-up Manhattan with a warning that 'the National Guard is ready'.
As night fell, groups of curfew-violators and looters around the city were rounded up and handcuffed by officers before being loaded on to NYPD vans.
Police began making arrests around 9pm and shut down parts of the West Side Highway in lower Manhattan, blocking it off to huge crowds of protesters.
The police department had announced it would not allow vehicle traffic south of 96th Street in Manhattan after curfew, though residents, essential workers, buses and truck deliveries were exempt.
'Currently stuck on the Manhattan Bridge. NYPD told us the would let us through 'in 10 min' - that was 40 min ago.
'They now brought in multiple vans to barricade us in from both sides. They are all wearing riot gear. We have been nothing but peaceful,' one woman tweeted.
No comments