New charges against former Minneapolis police officer over the death of unarmed black man George Floyd could give prosecutors clearer path to conviction
A protester holds a sign outside the Florida home of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was recorded with his knee on the neck of African-American man George Floyd before his death, in the Windermere neighbourhood of Orlando, Florida, US May 29, 2020.
Three other officers who were with Chauvin at the time of Floyd's death - Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao - all face two counts: aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Two of those officers helped keep Floyd pinned to the ground. "It makes their job a lot easier. They don't have to prove intent to kill," Groshek said. "This allows for a jury to return a conviction without having to believe the cop was bad. Juries don't like to convict cops."Floyd, 46, died on May 25 after Chauvin used a knee to pin his neck for nearly nine minutes. A video of the incident led to a week of sometimes violent protests and civil unrest in dozens of US cities.
Prosecutors added that force was clearly not needed to control the handcuffed Floyd. They also removed language that said Floyd at one point resisted arrest, and included that he told officers who were attempting to put him in a squad car that he was not trying to resist arrest, but was claustrophobic.
Minnesota sentencing guidelines suggest that someone convicted for second-degree murder without a criminal history receive between 22 and 30 years in prison. But defense attorney Groshek said prosecutors would likely seek more than that if they secure a conviction against Chauvin.
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