‘TORTURE DEATH’
ALL FOUR cops have now been charged over the death of George Floyd with the officer who knelt on him for eight minutes set to face the more serious charge of second-degree murder.
Minnesota’s Attorney General escalated the charge against Derek Chauvin on Wednesday, and announced the charges of aiding and abetting murder for the three other officers.
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If convicted, the three officers face the same maximum sentence as Chauvin - up to 50 years in prison.
Keith Ellison took the action days after Governor Tim Walz asked the attorney general to take over the prosecution, which had been led by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
"I ask for your patience while we limit our public comments in the pursuit of justice," Ellison said in a press conference.
"We are following the path of all of the evidence, wherever it leads, as thoroughly as we can, because being complete and thorough is incredibly important.
"Winning a conviction will be hard."
Only one attorney general has ever convicted a police officer of murder.
"We will seek justice for him and for you.
"I was not impacted by public pressure," Ellison said. "We have made the charges based on the law that we think applies. I see no reason why there can not be a fair trial."
One officer has already been taken into custody, while the other two are expected to be processed on Wednesday.
Ellison confirmed the three officers could face the same maximum sentence as Chauvin.
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Family attorney Benjamin Crump tweeted the reaction of Floyd's relatives, who said: "This is a bittersweet moment."
"We are deeply gratified that @AGEllison took decisive action, arresting & charging ALL the officers involved in #GeorgeFloyd's death & upgrading the charge against Derek Chauvin to felony second-degree murder," he said.
The family of the victim later said: "This is a significant step forward on the road to justice, and we are gratified that this important action was brought before George Floyd's body was laid to rest.
"That is a source of peace...in this painful time.
"These officers knew they could act with impunity, given the Minneapolis Police Department's widespread and prolonged pattern of violating people's constitutional rights."
On Wednesday, Crump spoke at the site where Floyd was “tortured to death” during his arrest in Minneapolis.
“They are just as guilty for the death as Chauvin," Crump said, regarding the other three officers.
He accused Thomas Lane, J.A. Keung and Tou Thao of all “participating” in the death of Floyd, who was pinned down to the sidewalk.
Crump made his comments to press as it emerged the Minnesota attorney general's office has finished its initial review of evidence.
"They all participated," Crump continued as he urged the AG's office to deliver justice.
"Do your job," he said. "Because all the world is watching."
Speaking after the decision was made to charge the three other officers, Terrence Floyd, George's brother, addressed the widespread looting.
"Don't do it in the name of George Floyd," he told reporters, "you're disrespecting his legacy. If you want to chant peacefully you can do so. But don't do it in the name of George Floyd."
Terrence also met with NYPD Police Commissioner to "begin conversations".
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"This is another important step for justice," said US Senator Amy Klobuchar, as she confirmed the update of the cops' charges in a tweet.
Chauvin, who has been fired, pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for eight minutes, even after the victim stopped moving.
He was detaining the 46-year-old dad-of-six on suspicion of forgery and pinned him to the floor next to the rear wheel of a squad car with his knee.
Mr Floyd is repeatedly heard saying he cannot not breathe, shouting "please, please" and "mama, mama".
He then goes silent and appears to go limp as Chauvin continues to press his knee onto his neck.
Officer Thao can be seen to the right of Mr Floyd ushering the crowds away from the scene.
The man - described as a "gentle giant" by his family - is then taken away by paramedics and was later pronounced dead.
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In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, Crump pushed for Chauvin to be charged with first-degree murder.
An independent autopsy by Michael Baden and Allecia Wilson revealed that the cause of death was "homicide".
"Sustained pressure on the right side of Mr Floyd's carotid artery impeded blood flow to the brain, and weight on his back impeded his ability to breathe," a statement from Crump earlier this month read.
"The independent examiners found that weight on the back, handcuffs, and positioning were contributory factors because they impaired the ability of Mr Floyd's diaphragm to function.
"From all the evidence, the doctors said it now appears Mr Floyd died at the scene."
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Baden added that there were no underlying health problems, despite the official autopsy claiming a heart problem likely contributed to his death.
The former New York City chief medical examiner said: "He was in good health. The cause of death is asphyxia compression of the neck and back.
Baden and Wilson's findings are "consistent with what people saw. There is no other health issue that could cause or contribute to his death."
He added: "Police have this false impression that if you can talk, you can breathe. That's not true."
"The forensic scientists who did the family's autopsy said that George died because he needed a breath," Crump continued.
"So let's take a breath for George Floyd as we get ready to lay him to his final rest on next Tuesday.
"Let's take a breath next week to heal the country and follow George Floyd's example, he would have wanted peaceful protests."
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The first autopsy report was produced by the authorities, revealing that Mr Floyd had died at the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis.
The autopsy "revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation".
Chauvin faces up to 35 years in prison for over his "inherently dangerous" actions during the tragedy that has sparked riots and protests across the US.
George Floyd's son Quincy Mason Floyd speaks out as he visits the site where his father died
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