Murdered by former 44-year-old white Minneapolis Police Depart cop Derek Chauvin May 25, protests around the country erupted decrying racism and police brutality. Watching the video of Chauvin kneeling for nearly nine minutes on Floyd’s neck sickened everyone, demanding justice. When Hennepin County Prosecutor Mike Freeman arrested Chauvin May 29 and charged him with third-degree murder and manslaughter, it looked like Justice would prevail. When Freeman didn’t arrest the three other officers at the scene, the public continued convulsing with riots, looting, arson and anarchy. Taken out of Freeman’s hands, Minnesota Atty. Gen. Keith Ellision announced today the arrests for accessory to murder Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng, the angry public finally started to get justice. Ellison, too, upgraded Chauvin’s charge from third-degree to second-degree murder.
Finally, the public’s outcry was heard after five long days since Chauvin was arrested and charged. Video clearly showed Lane, Thao and Kueng aided-and-abetted the murder, making them culpable of accessory to murder, a charge that carries equal penalties to the one who pulled the trigger, this time the lethal chokehold. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) authorized Ellison to take over where Hennepin County Prosecutor Mike Freeman failed to deliver justice. Five nights of violent protesting finally got Walz’s attention, assigning Ellison to take over where Freeman failed. Hopefully the governor’s actions will help to defuse the angry mob currently terrorizing American cities, causing untold property damage. Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, worked with Walz to get justice to prevail. Philonise said the day Floyd was murdered that Chauvin should get the death penalty.
Philonise said protesters were “torn and hurt because they’re tired of seeing Black men die. Constantly, over and over again,” using Floyd’s death to protest racism and police brutality around the country. Restoring order hasn’t been easy for local, state and federal law enforcement, including the National Guard. In spread out places like Los Angeles, rioters, looters and arsonists were several steps ahead of the police, causing widespread property damage. Violent protests outside the White House forced 73-year-old Donald Trump into the White House bunker for a short time. Violent protesters in the Washington, D.C. defaced the Lincoln Memorial and torched St. John’s historic Episcopal Church across from the White House. Trump said in a nationwide address Monday, June 1, that he accepted peaceful protests for Floyd’s death but would never tolerate the rioting, looting, arson and mayhem.
Upgrading Chauvin’s charge to second-degree murder and charging Lane, Thao and Kueng with accessory to murder should go a long way in satisfying the angry crowd’s need for justice. Chauvin’s second-degree murder conviction should have him spend the rest of his life in jail. His partners in crime, Land, Thao and Kueng, should also get stiff penalties for aiding-and-abetting Chauvin’s grisly murder. Listening to Floyd beg for mercy, “Please man, I can’t breathe,” horrified onlookers, rendering the murder an unforgivable act of pure evil. Whether Chauvin cracked is anyone’s guess. Some speculated that the murder was payback for some unknown incident between Chauvin and Floyd when they worked as security for Minneapolis’s El Nuevo Rodeo Latino nightclub. Nightclub owner Maya Santamaria didn’t think the two knew each other at the club, working different events.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), a former Hennepin County prosecutor, said Ellison’s decision to upgrade Chauvin’s charge and charge the three officers was “another important step for justice,” praising Ellison for taking over charging decisions. Klobuchar hopes that getting the charges right will satisfy angry crowds protesting around the country. Floyd’s murder prompted wholesale attacks on the nation’s law enforcement community. I do not believe this incident should be allowed to define our profession or the Minneapolis Police Department, but there is no doubt that this incident has diminished the trust and respect in our communities for the men and women of law enforcement,” said Fraternal Order of Police President Patric Yoes in a statement. One bad apple can ruin the barrel. Chauvin’s public murder on video for all to see hit law enforcement with a big black eye.
Minnesota’s Atty Gen. Keith Ellison may have saved billions of more dollars in property damage from violent protesters. Now that Ellison’s made a good-faith effort to administer justice, it should soften the angry mob now looking for revenge. When Chauvin lost his job and was charged May 29 with third-degree murder, it wasn’t enough to satisfy the angry mob crying out for justice. “These officers, they need to be arrested right now. They need to be arrested and held accountable about everything because these people want justice right now,” Floyd’s brother Philonise said last week, calling for the death penalty. If Minnesota officials had their act together five days ago when they charged Chauvin, they might have prevented multiple deaths and untold property damage. Now that the Minnesota Atty. Gen. Keith Ellison has done the right thing, it’s possible violent protests will eventually stop.
