While we are grateful and thankful that former officer Derek Chauvin has been placed in custody and charged with 3rd-degree murder, it is not enough. Here is why:
1. Officer Chauvin had 18 prior complaints against him.
2. Third-degree murder charges are usually reserved for cases such as dealing drugs where the accused did not intentionally set out to kill anyone but did something reckless that resulted in someone’s death. What happened here was much worse. This was an intentional case of murder.
3. Unfortunately, third-degree murder charges in Minnesota carry only a MAXIMUM sentence of 25 years. This means that with good behavior, even if he is found guilty, former officer Chauvin could be out on the street in 10 years or less. With his known anger problem and 18 prior complaints, he could possibly put another human being’s life in danger again. This must not be allowed to happen
4. This became an intentional case of murder when Mr. Floyd told officer Chauvin that he could not breathe, and officer Chauvin continued to place his knees on top of him stopping his airflow. This should be at least a 2nd-degree charge.
5. While first-degree murder charges often require premeditation, there are many exceptions such as in cases of terrorism. We believe that Mr. Chauvin’s actions meet the definition of terrorism as mentioned in Minnesota State Law 609.185 Murder in The First Degree section 7:
causes the death of a human being while committing, conspiring to commit or attempting to commit a felony crime to further terrorism and the death occurs under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human life.
Mr. Chauvin’s actions show extreme indifference to human life because he repeatedly ignored Mr. Floyd’s plea to stop and that he couldn’t breathe. This inhumane treatment of another human being in public is akin to an execution. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines terrorism as the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion. Mr. Chauvin’s actions met this definition and thus constitute a mandatory life sentence in order to protect the public.
6. The other officers (Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J Alexander Kueng) were complicit in the death of Mr. Floyd by not stopping officer Chauvin. To see evil and not stop it allows evil to happen and means that you are part of it. The three officers could have easily teamed up against the one officer, Officer Chauvin to have him cease and desist and allow George Floyd to breathe. Possibly if there were 9 officers choking one person and one officer was not, the one officer could claim there was nothing he could do since he was outnumbered but that is not the case since there were three officers there. Therefore, they should be charged immediately with at least 2nd-degree murder.
7. Former Officer Thau had 6 prior complaints against him including a lawsuit for police brutality which the city settled by paying $25,000 to the victim, who suffered broken teeth, bruising and trauma as a result of punches, kicks, and knees to the face in October 2014, while handcuffed and unable to defend himself. This action shows a pattern of maliciousness from Mr. Thau which would contradict any false claim that the case of Mr. Floyd was an isolated incident.
So, we human beings across the country and world appeal to the hearts of those in authority such as Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman and Mayor Frey, to do the following:
1. Upgrade the murder charge against officer Chauvin to a 1st-degree murder charge
2. Arrest the three remaining officers, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J Alexander Kueng. and charge them with 1st-degree murder as well.
