The entire world’s attention has been drawn to Minneapolis in the United States of America, where unarmed African American George Floyd was unlawfully killed in the custody of police officer Derek Chauvin in the presence of three other officers. Following the death of Floyd, the entire country has been hit with protests and riots calling for justice for the deceased and a stop to the unreasonable killings of black people in the country.
On CNN last night appeared Philonise Floyd, brother of George, who granted an emotional interview speaking up about the call to justice behind the motive of the week-long protest in the city. He disclosed to Don Lemon, “People just want justice. They’re going to continue to march and protest, and if I ask everybody to do it peaceful — but they want justice, and that’s the reason they’re acting out like that. Black folks have been getting killed for a long time now, years. People are just tired right now. African Americans, they want to stand up for what’s right.”
He added, “Everything that’s happening right now, it’s not happening because of what they’re doing. People are jumping on them. People are killing them. African Americans, you have women and men, both are dying right now. You can watch the video and it was nine minutes, the guy stayed on my brother’s neck. Executed him, murdered him. He couldn’t breathe. … A grown man [asking] for his mom. That’s not real. I need justice for that.”
Known developments surrounding the case scripts the arrest and charge of Chauvin with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He has also been accused of ignoring the plea leveled out by another officer at the scene who asked him to put a stop to his actions.
Reporting live from the Minneapolis intersection where Floyd was killed, during the conversation with Philonise, CNN correspondent Sara Sidner granted a live interview with Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, where he gave detailed reasons on some action response he has made since the incident occurred.
Soon after videos of the crime came out, Arradondo issued the dismissal of Chauvin and three other officers who were with him. He disclosed to Philonise who asked why he acted quickly in that direction, “There are absolute truths in life. We need air to breathe. The killing of Mr. Floyd was an absolute truth; that it was wrong, and so I did not need days or weeks or months or processes or bureaucracies to tell me that what occurred out here last Monday was wrong. This was a violation of humanity. This was a violation of the oath that the majority of the men and women that put this uniform on — this goes absolutely against it. This is contrary to what we believe in. What occurred to me, it was an absolute truth that it was wrong, period.”
He again responded when asked by Philonise whether justice will be served and the arrest of the other sacked officers will come to pass eventually, “Being silent or not intervening, to me, you’re complicit. So I don’t see a level of distinction that’s any different. Obviously the charging and those decisions have to come through our county attorney’s office. Certainly the FBI is investigating that, but I want you to know my decision to fire all four officers was not based on some sort of hierarchy. Mr. Floyd died in our hands, and so I see that as being complicit. … I don’t see a difference in terms of the ultimate outcome, [which] is he is not here with us. … Silence and inaction — you’re complicit. If there were one solitary voice that would have intervened and acted, that’s what I would have hoped for. That did not occur.”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Chauvin along with the other three officers can serve up to 12 years in prison if found guilty of the charges leveled against them.
