Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was infamously recorded with his knee on the back of George Floyd’s neck for 7 minutes and 46 seconds when arresting Floyd for using counterfeit currency, has bonded out of jail ahead of his murder trial.
Chauvin’s actions on May 25, 2020 sparked nationwide protests, civil unrest, and calls for his and his three colleagues’ arrests. Chauvin, Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng were all fired from the Minneapolis Police Department. State prosecutors quickly charged all four of them in Floyd’s death.
Chauvin faces the most serious charges: second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. The other defendants face charges for aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
State prosecutors in Minnesota previously filed a notice saying that they intended to use eight other instances of forcible restraint as evidence against Chauvin. The filing from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (DFL) and Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank said that the evidence was meant to rebut potential claims from the defense that Chauvin “did not intentionally assault Mr. Floyd in a manner inconsistent with training.”
Chauvin and his co-defendants “placed the victim George Floyd, who was already handcuffed, in a prone position on the ground,” prosecutors said, accusing Chauvin of causing Floyd’s death with a neck restraint.
“Defendant placed one knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck and upper back area and shifted his body weight onto Mr. Floyd’s neck, rendering Mr. Floyd unconscious,” the filing said. “Defendant continued to restrain Mr. Floyd in this position beyond the point when such force was needed under the circumstances, causing Mr. Floyd’s death.”
Chauvin posted $1 million bond and is out of jail as of Wednesday, Fox 9 reported. He had been behind bars since May 31.
The trial date for the defendants was previously set for March 2021. All four of them are currently out on bond.
[image via Facebook video screen capture]
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