Death of George Floyd: police officer Derek Chauvin now prosecuted for intentional homicide.
Sylvie Claire / June 03, 2020
Police officer Derek Chauvin is now being charged with intentional homicide in the George Floyd case. An autopsy of George Floyd's body revealed that the 46-year-old African-American man died last Monday because of "pressure on his neck" by the police.
Derek Chauvin, the police officer involved in the death of George Floyd in a police intervention last Monday in Minneapolis, the United States, is now accused of intentional homicide, according to information by Omar Jimenez, reporter for American channel CNN, confirmed this Wednesday by Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison decided on Wednesday to increase charges against Derek Chauvin. Police officer since fired is now suspected of 2nd degree murder, no longer 3rd (the equivalent of manslaughter), while three other police officers are also charged, according to the Minnesota senator, while until then they had not been worried by the justice.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is increasing charges against Derek Chauvin to 2nd degree in George Floyd’s murder and also charging other 3 officers. This is another important step for justice.
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) June 3, 2020
George Floyd kept on the ground for almost 9 minutes
According to the official medical examiner in charge of his autopsy, George Floyd died "by homicide" because of the "pressure exerted on his neck" by the police. The 46-year-old African-American had a "cardiac and pulmonary arrest" because of his immobilization by the police, detailed the medical examiner of the county of Hennepin in a press release.
A video of the drama, which has since toured the world, shows the officer keeping him pressed to the ground, kneeling on his neck for almost nine minutes. This police officer, Derek Chauvin, 44, had been dismissed, arrested and initially charged with manslaughter.
The death of George Floyd outraged all of America. From New York to Los Angeles, from Philadelphia to Seattle, tens or even hundreds of thousands of Americans have been demonstrating for more than a week against police brutality, racism and social inequality.