Update – June 11, 9:18 a.m.: David Pinney, a man who said George Floyd “bumped heads” with Derek Chauvin, now says that he mistook Floyd for another black employee at a nightclub.
The club’s former owner Maya Santamaria got him in touch with CBS News for his interview.
“She specifically said she was unable to give detail information about George because she did not have a close relationship with him as I did,” he told the outlet, saying this led to the mistake he made. “I apologize for not doing my due diligence and placing you in a very uncomfortable situation.”
He nonetheless maintained his account that Chauvin was aggressive.
Our original story on Pinney’s interview with CBS is below. More on the latest here.
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A mutual former co-worker of both a late Minnesota man and the ex-police officer charged in his alleged murder said the two men had a history of conflict. George Floyd and Derek Chauvin “bumped heads” while employed together at a Minneapolis nightclub, David Pinney told CBS News.
“It has a lot to do with Derek being extremely aggressive within with some of the patrons, which was an issue,” Pinney said. He also said Chauvin knew Floyd “pretty well.”
Now Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and other charges in Floyd’s death. Video from May 25 showed Chauvin kneeling on his former co-worker’s neck during an arrest as two others officers restrained Floyd. A fourth cop stood between police and outraged bystanders. Chauvin’s knee restraint went on for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, even after the victim became unresponsive, prosecutors said.
Maya Santamaria said soon after the incident that both Floyd and Chauvin worked for her at the El Nuevo Rodeo nightclub, but she didn’t know if they’d actually met. Chauvin was paid off-duty for 17 years to sit outside in his squad car; Floyd was a security guard, Santamaria said, according to CBS News. Floyd and Chauvin both worked Tuesday nights. She said patrons occasionally complained about how Chauvin treated them.
Santamaria was asked for an upcoming CBS News report “Justice for All” if Chauvin had a problem with black people.
“I think he was afraid and intimidated,” she said.
The case landed on a cultural fissure during ongoing national debate over how some law enforcement officers treat people of color, especially black men. Floyd was black. Chauvin is white.
The criminal cases against the former officers are ongoing. It was recently revealed that Chauvin was attempting to negotiate a plea deal before his arrest.
Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, declined to comment.
[Screengrab via Darnella Frazier]
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