(6-11-20) Nobody is a winner in this incident, a man loses his life by a police officer who subdues him while placing a knee on his throat…while many just standby and watch and someone videos his death. A city is torn a part because of this and then across the country. Riots from protests break out, which include looting of businesses and deaths. Racism has been the background for the outbreak of violence. How does that help to solve what happened in Minnesota.
While in St. Louis a retired police officer protecting a business is killed during a protest by a 24 year old man. No media coverage, no protests, no calls of racism or violence.
Two of the four officers arrested in Minnesota in George Floyd’s death come from minority backgrounds. Yet no outcry on racism facing these two.
Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng
Derek Chauvin and George Floyd both worked as security guards at the same Minneapolis nightclub as recently as last year, this story has seen several changes from first reports.
Both Floyd and Chauvin had issues in their pasts that raise red flags. But the results from what happened after the death of George Floyd set the world on ‘fire’.
- George Floyd moved to Minneapolis in 2014 after being released from prison in Houston, Texas following an arrest for aggravated robbery
- On May 25, 2020, Floyd was arrested for passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a grocery store in Minneapolis
- He was under the influence of fentanyl and methamphetamine at the time of arrest
- Floyd has more than a decade-old criminal history at the time of the arrest and went to jail for a tleast 5 times
- George Floyd was the ringleader of a violent home invasion
- He plead guilty to entering a woman’s home, pointing a gun at her stomach and searching the home for drugs and money, according to court records
- Floyd was sentenced to 10 months in state jail for possession of cocaine in a December 2005 arrest
- He had previously been sentenced to eight months for the same offense, stemming from an October 2002 arrest
- Floyd was arrested in 2002 for criminal trespassing and served 30 days in jail
- He had another stint for a theft in August 1998
Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin
Before becoming a Minneapolis Police Officer Chauvin served in the military police in the U.S. Army during his two years of active service.
Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death.
His records that were released includes both commendations and more than 15 conduct complaints. Almost all the complaints were closed without discipline, records suggesting the allegations weren’t sustained.
In 2008 a letter of reprimand Chauvin received for the two violations involving “discretion” and a squad car camera
August 2007 from a woman who accused Chauvin and another officer of pulling her from her car, frisking her and putting her in the squad car for going 10 mph over the speed limit
Two letters from women commending him on his handling of domestic violence calls in 2008 and 2013
Records indicate he was involved in at least three shootings as an officer.
2006 – he fatally shot a suspect during an altercation. He claimed that the suspect had a gun.
2008 – he shot and injured a suspect during a domestic violence call.
2011 – he fired at a man who was running from another shooting. He was not punished for any of the shootings.
So What Do You Think
Will this end racism in the US? Will police departments be defunded? Are all police bad? Should ‘Paw Patrol’ be banned for supporting good police. Are white people privileged? Is protesting good for the cause? Are just white people racist? Does the media report fairly?
Just some of the questions being asked today.
Stateline Network EXTRA 