Warning: Graphic content, readers’ discretion advised. This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some readers discretion advised.
George floyd wasborn in fayetteville , north carolina in 1973. he grew up in Texas and moved to minnesota where he worked as a truck driver and security guard. a father of five,
mr floyd’s life was not different for millions of his fellow americans,but his nature of his death could changge the course of history.
its monday evening in minneapolis four police officers have responded to a call a man has has used a counterfeit twenty dollar bill to buy a packet of ciggarettes.
george floyd is arrested handcuffed and now pinned to the ground by one of the officers.
the officer pictured is derek chauvin. he ignores the protest from onlockers and continues to apply pressure on mr floy’s neck
officer shauvin is an 18-year veteran of the police departement.in that time over a dozen complaints have been lodged against him.
george: my stomack hurt,my neck hurt .
George floyd clearly states 16 times” i can’t breath.” is obvious to his cries.
even when the paramedics arrive to assist a man clearly in distrerss chauvin continues the chokehold
chauvin has applied pressure to his neck for 8 minutes. and 46 seconds.
and later that evening george is pronounced dead.
within 24 yours, the death of another black man in police custody unleashes a fury. that has existed for generations.
The killing of george floyd brings both black and white demonstrators onto to the street.
mr floyd’s family is clear exactly what justice they are seeking.
” i would like for those officers tobe charges with murder.because it’s exactly what they did they murdered my brother “
it is later announced that the four officers have been fired and the FBI is investigating the killing.
one of the founding principles of the united states is that all men are created equal but for generations many black americans have pointed out the inescapable fact that the nation was founded on inequality and the exploitation of their ancestors.
the killing of georger floyd occurs when 42 million americans are unemployed and once again police brutality and economic omkistice,combined to cause an explosion of outrage .
within 48 hours of the killing of george floyd demonstrations are spreading across the united states
some are spontaneous but many are organized by black lives matter.
late in the evening. the demonstarators seized control of the police precinct near to where george floyd was killed. it is burned to the ground
the police have now lost control of large areas of the city. and the pesident of the united states adresses the nation .
via twitter .
in a humiliating repost the moderators of twitter informed donald trump that his message has violated their rules on glorifyring violance .
after three days of rioting the eyes of the world are now on mineapolis and the events that unfold are unparalleled in american history.
an afro- latino reporter doing his job detained live infront an international audience.
later that day derek chauvin is charged with with third -degree murder and the manslaughter of george floyd. according to the minnesota statute third degree murder does not requre an intent to kill.
a combined charges carry a maximum sentence of 35 years
hundreds of mourners gather at the spot where george floyd was killed.
it as become a momunemnt, not just one black life but to centuries of racial injustice, once again there are pleas for the violence to stop.
now one man’s death in minneapolis picked up and amplified by social media sparks the first truly global protest movement for racial justice.
like america , the british supporters of black lives matter point to slavery as the original sin that has yet to be cleansed.
the case against those present at george floyd’s killing changes ones more.
derek shauving is now formally accused of second -degree murder and faces a possible 40 -year prison sentence.
thomas lane is charged with aiding and abetting degree murder and aiding and abetting manslaughter.
Tou Thao also faces the same charges
as does J Alexander Kueng
” i strongly believe that these developments are in the interest of justice for mr floyd,his family ,our community and our state.”
-keith ellison ,minnesota attorney general
George Floyd’s death sparked a wave of protests for racial equality (Picture: Getty/Reuters)
but for black people white dominated law enforcement has consistently failed to deliver justice. and the death of george floyd underlines a problem that is remained unresolved for generations.
there was a time when the killing of a 46 year old black man in police custody would have passed almost unnoticed. but today the whole world knows how george floyd’s life was taken.
as his family gathered to mourn his death there were demands for america to look into its soul and the promise that his passing will never be forgotten.
timeline of key events since george floyd death.
may 25, 2020
george floyd is killed by police.
minneapolice officerss respond to a call just after 8 pm about a possible conterfeit 2o dollar bill being used at a grocery store.
They confront Mr Floyd and a struggle ensues, resulting in officers handcuffing him and pinning him face down on the ground.
Chauvin kneels on the back of the suspect’s neck for more than nine minutes while bystanders record Mr Floyd crying ‘I can’t breathe’.
Eventually Mr Floyd goes silent and is later pronounced dead at hospital.
may 26,2020
In a statement, the Minneapolis Police Department says Mr Floyd appeared to be in medical distress as he resisted arrest.
Minutes later, footage of the violent arrest is shared online and police share another statement saying the FBI will help them investigate.
Chauvin, now 45, was sacked, along with three other officers — Thomas Lane, J Kueng and Tou Thao. Protests over Mr Floyd’s death begin.
MAY 27, 2020
Demonstrations lead to three consecutive nights of rioting and looting in the city.
At the same time, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey demands criminal charges be brought against Chauvin.
On May 28 police abandon the 3rd Precinct station as protesters storm it and set it on fire.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz calls in the National Guard to try and get the situation under control.
Meanwhile unrest spreads to a number of cities across the US, including New York, Washington DC and Louisville.
MAY 29, 2020
The now-sacked officer is arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
He is later is charged with the more serious offence of second-degree murder.
Governor Walz issues the first of dozens of curfews to bring rioting under control.
MAY 29, 2020
Then US-President Donald Trump threatens to send in the military into Minneapolis to stop the unrest.
Twitter found that he had violated their rules on ‘glorifying violence’ after he wrote ‘when the looting starts, the shooting starts’.
Trump later backpedals and claimed what he meant to say was that when looting starts, people end up getting shot.
He adds: ‘Looting leads to shooting, and that’s why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night – or look at what just happened in Louisville with 7 people shot.’
JUNE 1, 2020
An autopsy report reveals Mr Floyd’s heart stopped as he was being restrained by police.
It also notes that he had underlying health issues and that his system showed signs of fentanyl and methamphetamine use.
Mr Floyd’s family hire independent experts to determine the cause of his death.
JUNE 3, 2020
Chauvin receives a more serious charge of second degree murder.
The other three officers involved in the arrest are charged with aiding and abetting second degree murder.
They are also charged with aiding and abetting second degree manslaughter.
JUNE 4, 2020
A mural honouring Mr Floyd is projected above his golden coffin at a memorial service.
Speaking at the ceremony is civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton, who says: ‘The reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed to be is you kept your knee on our neck.
He added: ‘What happened to Floyd happens every day in this country,
‘It’s time for us to stand up in George’s name and say, “Get your knee off our neck!”‘
Human rights advocate Martin Luther King III was also among those to pay their respects. Mr Floyd is buried in Pearland, Texas on June 9.
JUNE 5, 2020
The city’s ban on chokeholds by police, was the first of many changes to be announced in coming months, including an overhaul of the police department’s use-of-force policy.
OCTOBER 7, 2020
Chauvin is released from a state prison after posting a $1 million bond, leading to further protests.
MARCH 12, 2021
Potential jurors are questioned for more than two weeks ahead of Chauvin’s trial.
A pool of more than 300 people is whittled down to 12, with three alternates, to decide whether Mr Floyd’s death was murder.
Nearly all say they have seen parts of the footage of his arrest.
Several admit it has given them a negative view of Chauvin but say they can put that to one side.
The following day, the state of Minneapolis pays$27 million to Mr Floyd’s family as part of a civil lawsuit.
MARCH 29, 2021
Jurors watched hours of bystander footage and hear from 45 witnesses during the three week trial.
During this time, 20-year-old black man Daunte Wright is shot dead by a white police officer during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minneapolis.
The triggers successive days of protest but the judge refuses to sequester the Chauvin jury because of this.
APRIL 20, 2021
The jury finds Chauvin guilty of all three charges.
He will later go on to request a fresh trial in May, alleging misconduct by both jurors and prosecutors.
However US media reported that the request for a fresh trial is common after conviction and that it is unlikely that the jury’s decision will be overturned.
Chauvin is due to be sentenced on June 25 and faces up to 40 years in prison, however experts have said he is unlikely to get more than 30.
MAY 13, 2021
Lane, Kueng and Thao were scheduled to face trial on August 23, accused of aiding and abetting Chauvin.
But Judge Peter Cahill delays the trial so that federal civil rights charges against all four officers can go ahead first.
He also suggests the need to put some distance between the case and Chauvin’s high-profile trial.
more detail
7 Jul 2022
A United States federal court has sentenced former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin to 21 years in prison for violating the civil rights of George Floyd, a Black man killed when Chauvin kneeled on his neck for more than nine minutes in an incident that sparked mass protests.
US District Judge Paul Magnuson rebuked Chauvin at the sentencing hearing on Thursday, calling the ex-policeman’s actions when he killed Floyd in May 2020 “offensive”.
Chauvin is already in jail in Minnesota after he was sentenced in a state case last year to 22.5 years for murdering Floyd; he will serve both sentences concurrently at a federal detention facility.
But Thursday’s sentence means that he will likely spend more time behind bars because inmates become eligible for parole earlier in Minnesota than in federal custody.
The former officer had pleaded guilty to federal charges late last year. Three other former Minneapolis police officers who were involved in the incident also were convicted in federal court in February for violating Floyd’s civil rights. They are awaiting sentencing.
“While recognizing that nothing can repair the harm caused by such acts, the Justice Department is committed to holding accountable those who violate the Constitution, and to safeguarding the civil rights of all Americans,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement after Chauvin’s guilty plea in December 2021.
It remains unclear where Chauvin will be sent after his sentencing. His lawyer has said that he had been in solitary confinement for his own safety since going to jail last year.
Bureau of Prisons Spokesperson Scott Taylor said “a number of factors” go into placement decisions.
“Some of the factors include the level of security and supervision the inmate requires, any medical or programming needs, separation and security measures to ensure the inmate’s protection, and other considerations including proximity to an individual’s release residence,” Taylor, who refused to comment on Chauvin’s case specifically, told AP.
As part of his plea agreement with federal prosecutors last year, Chauvin also admitted to violating the rights of John Pope Jr, who was 14 when the former officer used excessive force against him during an arrest in 2017.
“I was treated as if I was not a human being at the hands of Derek Chauvin,” Pope told the court.
The killing of Floyd, which was videotaped by a bystander, spurred nationwide and international outrage and calls for racial justice and police reform.
27 Jul 2022
Two former police officers in the United States have been sentenced on federal charges for their role in the murder of George Floyd, the Black man who was killed when Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, kneeled on his neck during an arrest in May 2020.
At a hearing in St Paul, Minnesota on Wednesday, US District Judge Paul Magnuson sentenced Tou Thao, 36, to three and a half years, and J Alexander Kueng, 28, to three years. A third officer, Thomas Lane, 39, was sentenced last Thursday to two and a half years in prison.
In February, the three were convicted by a federal jury of depriving Floyd of his civil rights and failing to come to Floyd’s aid while Chauvin was choking him with his knee for nine minutes. Chauvin was sentenced in February to 20 years and five months for federal charges related to Floyd’s murder in May 2020.
As Chauvin pinned Floyd’s neck, Kueng held Floyd’s back, officer Thomas Lane held his feet and Thao kept bystanders back during the killing, which was recorded on video by witnesses.
The federal government brought the civil rights charges against all four officers in May 2021, a month after Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter charges in state court. They were seen as an affirmation of the Department of Justice’s priorities to address racial inequities in policing, a promise made by President Joe Biden before his election.
Those charges came just a week after federal prosecutors brought hate crimes charges in the February 2020 killing of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia and announced two sweeping probes into policing in two states.
Arbery, a Black man, was chased by white residents of a Georgia neighbourhood while jogging. The three men cornered him with two vehicles and then shot him dead. They were convicted of murder, kidnapping and hate crimes, among other charges in state and federal courts in 2021 and 2022.
A mobile phone video of the dying, handcuffed Floyd pleading with Chauvin for his life before falling motionless prompted outrage, spurring huge daily protests against racism and police brutality in cities around the world.
The four officers were called to a Minneapolis grocery store on May 25, 2020, and had tried to take Floyd into custody on suspicion he used a fake $20 bill to buy cigarettes.
Lane in May pleaded guilty to state aiding and abetting manslaughter charges and agreed to a sentence of three years in prison. A state trial is scheduled to begin in January for Thao and Kueng.
Federal prosecutors argued that the three men knew from their training and from “basic human decency” that they had a duty to help Floyd as he begged for his life before falling limp beneath Chauvin’s knee.
Kueng and Thao got a victory last week when Magnuson issued rulings that affected how their federal sentences would be calculated. The rulings — particularly one that cross-references their crimes with involuntary manslaughter instead of murder — meant the men headed into Wednesday’s hearings with a recommended range of four and a quarter years to five and a quarter years. They might have faced a life sentence.
