By Erin Ailworth, Ben Kesling, Sadie Gurman and Joseph Barrett
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Justice Department said Thursday that it has
made the investigation into George Floyd's death a priority, as
protesters continued for a third day to demand charges be brought
against the police officers who held him pinned to the ground as he
struggled to breathe.
Also Thursday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for an
all-out effort to restore peace and security in the city over the
next several days, authorizing the police chief to create a unified
command to coordinate officers from different departments. He also
has made a request to the governor for help from the National
Guard.
The mayor said that the last several nights of unrest revealed
400 years of frustration in the black community. But he said it was
critical that the city protect infrastructure like grocery stores,
drugstores and banks that are necessary to protect health during
the coronavirus pandemic.
"I know there is currently a deficit of hope in this city," said
Minneapolis Chief of Police Medaria Arradondo. "I know that this
department has contributed to that deficit. But I will not allow to
continue to increase that deficit by retraumatizing those folks in
our community."
Chief Arradondo said there was a shift in tenor in Wednesday
night's protests with "a core group of people that had been focused
on causing destruction."
He also said efforts to control the crowd broke down as it grew
in size. "We were certainly prepared for that immediate area," he
said. "The crowds got larger and they got more mobile."
Protests began forming again Thursday for the third straight day
in Minneapolis, with new ones forming in neighboring St. Paul.
The Justice Department said it was assigning experienced
prosecutors and FBI criminal investigators to see if Minneapolis
police officers broke federal law, including whether they willfully
violated Mr. Floyd's constitutional rights.
"The Department of Justice asks for cooperation from all
witnesses who believe they have relevant information and urges calm
as investigators methodically continue to gather facts," the
department said in a statement issued by U.S. Attorney Erica
MacDonald and the Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent in
charge, Rainer Drolshagen.
It was a notably strong statement from the Justice Department,
which often takes a more muted tone in describing continuing
investigations.
In Facebook video that emerged Tuesday, Mr. Floyd, a black man,
can be seen being pinned to the ground by a white officer,
identified as Derek Chauvin, who has his knee on Mr. Floyd's neck.
Other footage later emerged showing two other officers sitting on
Mr. Floyd's body. Mr. Floyd is heard pleading that he can't
breathe, and eventually loses consciousness. He was pronounced dead
later that evening.
The four officers involved in the Monday incident were fired
Tuesday morning, and federal and state authorities have announced
investigations.
Two of the former-officers who appear on the Facebook video,
Derek Chauvin and Tou Thao, each have multiple complaints on their
official records, according to department records.
Mr. Chauvin has 18 complaints on his official record, two of
which ended in discipline from the department including official
letters of reprimand. Mr. Thao has six incidents on his record,
including one stemming from a 2017 lawsuit that was settled by the
city and which is still officially open in his record.
Neither of the other two officers who were fired have past
complaints on their records.
Mr. Thou was sued, along with another officer in 2017 for
excessive use of force, a case whose final terms were sealed as
terms of the settlement.
In 2006, Mr. Chauvin was involved in the police shooting of a
man brandishing a sawed-off shotgun, according to a Minnesota
Star-Tribune story from the time. According to a Twin Cities
Pioneer Press story from 2008, Mr. Chauvin shot a man during a call
when the man reached for a responding officer's gun.
He also has been awarded the department's Medal of Valor.
Tom Kelly, an attorney for Mr. Chauvin, didn't respond to a
request for comment.
Mr. Thou couldn't be reached for comment.
Minneapolis police said they arrested Mr. Floyd on Monday for
using a counterfeit bill, and that he resisted arrest. Attorney
Benjamin Crump, who is representing Mr. Floyd's family, said the
man never resisted arrest and shouldn't have been treated so
violently.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for charges to be brought
against Mr. Chauvin, but didn't say which charges should be
sought.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a radio
interview Thursday that it would be a shame if "the top count was
negligent homicide." He also warned of the dangers of an aggressive
charge not supported by facts that could lead to a not-guilty
verdict.
The charging decision rests with Hennepin County Attorney Mike
Freeman. Minneapolis police and Mr. Freeman's office didn't respond
to requests for comment.
Write to Ben Kesling at benjamin.kesling@wsj.com, Sadie Gurman
at sadie.gurman@wsj.com and Joseph Barrett at
Joseph.Barrett@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 28, 2020 16:15 ET (20:15 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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