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The mugshot of former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin—charged in the murder of George Floyd— has been released.
Chauvin, 44, is being held the adult detention center Ramsey County jail in St. Paul, Minnesota and the mugshot was released late Friday. He is expected in court on Monday in Minneapolis on murder and manslaughter charges. His bail is set at half a million dollars.
The 19-year veteran with the city’s police department was arrested earlier in the day and was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter for the death of Floyd and taken into custody by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
READ MORE: Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin charged for murder of George Floyd
In a viral video that has ignited protest, Chauvin is seen placing his knee on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes, 46 seconds, and kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for 2 minutes 43 seconds after he lost consciousness and pleaded for help. Prosecutors allege that Chauvin used excessive force as police first encountered Floyd as part of an investigation about the unarmed 46-year-old possibly using a counterfeit $20 bill.
“Police are trained that this type of restraint with a subject in a prone position is inherently dangerous,” prosecutors wrote in the complaint according to CBS News.
Furthermore, prosecutors declared that Floyd did comply with the officers but did not “voluntarily” get into their squad car. They also repeated Floyd’s plea for help as he lay on the ground and officers restricted his movement by holding his arm and Chauvin placed his left knee on Floyd’s neck. Floyd said “I can’t breathe,” “Mama,” and “please,” as he began to lose consciousness.
One officer asked, “should we roll him on his side?”. However, that was rejected and Chavin declared, “No, staying put where we got him.”
READ MORE: George Floyd’s family wants first degree murder charge against Chauvin
Officer Thomas Lane wondered if Floyd would become delirious but did not offer assistance. He, along with Chauvin and two others were fired. Protests sprung in Minneapolis and in other cities demanding the arrest of Chauvin and there is also the demand that the other officers be charged as well.
According to the criminal complaint released by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, the preliminary autopsy found that “no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation.” It also stated that there were contributing factors such that contributed to Floyd’s death such as health and restraint.
“The combined effects of Mr. Floyd being restrained by the police, his underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death.”
Benjamin Crump, who is representing the family, holds Chauvin and the other officers involved as the culprit. The bystander video was more than enough proof for him.
“Now the officers who stood by and did NOTHING to save George need to be arrested and charged as well,” Crump wrote.
Crump and Floyd’s family also wanted the charges upgraded to the more serious first-degree charge which centers on premeditation to commit murder.
“We expected a first-degree murder charge. We want a first-degree murder charge. And we want to see the other officers arrested,” Crump and the family said in a statement. “We call on authorities to revise the charges to reflect the true culpability of this officer.”
THE VIDEO EVIDENCE IS CLEAR! Why did THREE officers need to kneel on #GeorgeFloyd, when he was clearly NOT RESISTING?! They need to be held accountable… We’ve got one (Derek Chauvin), now three more to go. #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #JusticeForGeorge pic.twitter.com/KHg2k9bcK2
— Benjamin Crump, Esq. (@AttorneyCrump) May 29, 2020
“The officers served as judge, jury and executioners of #GeorgeFloyd when they killed him in the street; and they should face life sentences for First-Degree Murder in a court of law,” he also tweeted.
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