David Pinney, the man who said alleged murder victim George Floyd previously “bumped heads” with former police officer Derek Chauvin, now says he got his story wrong. Pinney says he mistook Floyd for another black employee, according to CBS News.
Pinney previously told CBS that Chauvin and Floyd had a history of conflict which stemmed from the aggressive way that Chauvin handled some of the customers at the El Nuevo Rodeo nightclub.
Chauvin, a Minneapolis police officer, was seen on a May 25 video kneeling on Floyd’s neck despite outrage from nearby bystanders. His stance lasted at least 8 minutes and 46 seconds, prosecutors said, even after Floyd became unresponsive. Chauvin has been fired and is charged with murder.
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 for 17 years while he was off duty to sit outside the club in his squad car; Floyd was a security guard, Santamaria told CBS. Floyd and Chauvin both worked Tuesday nights. She said patrons occasionally complained about how Chauvin treated them.
Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Floyd’s family, called for possible first-degree murder charges against Chauvin after Pinney’s original story that the men “bumped heads” captured headlines.
Chauvin knew and had problems with George before 5/25, based on a witness. He may have taken advantage and MURDERED George knowing who he was. If he targeted George and committed this crime with malice, he should be charged with First Degree Murder!! #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/YpnCUA49ts
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) June 10, 2020
Pinney now says that he mistook Floyd for another black employee. CBS News said he emailed them Wednesday with his new story.
“There has been a mix up between George and another fellow co-worker,” he said.
Santamaria got him in touch with the network for his original interview.
“She specifically said she was unable to give detail [sic] information about George because she did not have a close relationship with him as I did,” he told CBS, 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.
Chauvin remains in jail. Bail was set as high as $1,250,000. His attorney Eric Nelson previously declined to comment when Law&Crime reached out.
[Screengrab via CBS News]
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