A whole twelve months have passed since the murder of George Floyd, but yet it seems like it was just yesterday. If I feel that way, I can only imagine how his family feels. For the sake of doing the “journalistic thing,“ let me refresh everyone’s memory as if any of us have forgotten what happened to George Floyd, May 25, 2020.
While being arrested on suspicion of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill, Police were called, and outside on the sidewalk, Floyd was confronted by Officer Derek Chauvin, along with some other Police from Minneapolis, Minnesota. But it seems that Chauvin was in charge, and he took control. During the arrest, Chauvin, a white police officer with the Minneapolis Police Department, knelt on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds after he was handcuffed and lying face down. Two other police officers, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane assisted Chauvin in restraining Floyd. A fourth police officer, Tou Thao, prevented bystanders from interfering. Shame on all the officers who were on the scene for doing nothing to take control from now-former Police Officer Derek Chauvin and trying to save George Floyd’s life, rather than stand idly by to watch him die at the knee of Chauvin.
While handcuffed and before being placed on the ground, eyewitnesses allege that Floyd had exhibited signs of anxiety and complained about being unable to breathe. After being restrained, he became more distressed, complaining of breathing difficulties and the knee on his neck and expressing fear of imminent death. After several minutes Floyd stopped speaking. For two additional minutes, he lay still there, in the street. Officer Kueng found no pulse when urged to check.
Former Officer Chauvin continued to ignore pleas from people who had gathered, to get his knee off George Floyd. He didn’t do so until told to do so by paramedics.
May 26, 2020, after videos made by one young lady (a teenager actually), in particular, and security cameras became public, all four officers were removed from active duty immediately. Two autopsies, and one autopsy review, found Floyd’s death to be a homicide.
Chauvin was later convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. Kueng, Lane, and Thao are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Chauvin’s trial began on March 8, 2021, and concluded on April 20, 2021, while the trial of the other three officers is scheduled to begin on March 7, 2022. On March 12, 2021, Minneapolis agreed to pay $27 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit brought by Floyd’s family.
Floyd’s murder led to worldwide protests against police brutality, police racism, and lack of police accountability. In early June, the Minneapolis City Council voted an intent to restructure the police department as a “new community-based system of public safety.” However, the city council’s proposal, which became subject to an indefinite review by the Minneapolis City Charter Commission, failed to make the 2020 general ballot. The Minneapolis Police Chief canceled contract negotiations with the police union and announced plans to bring in outside experts to examine how the union contract can be restructured to provide transparency and “flexibility for true reform”.
At the time of Floyd’s death, Derek Chauvin was 44- years old. He had served in the Minneapolis police department since 2001. Here’s a twist to the story that in my opinion, no one in the news media really dug deep into but, Chauvin and Floyd sometimes worked overlapping shifts as security guards for a local nightclub. The club’s former owner was unsure of the extent to which they knew each other. I think there’s much more to that part of the Floyd/Chauvin connection. Something happened that Chauvin didn’t like. So when he saw an opportunity to “prove” he could beat George Floyd, he did. My best guess is that these two had been feuding for some time, all stemming from the nightclub.
While Chauvin has been found guilty, and before it’s all said and done, George Floyd’s family will be paid 27 million dollars by the city of Minneapolis over his death, which won’t bring him back. Floyd’s children still have to grow up without a daddy. No one in his family will get to see if he would have been able to have made a big success out of his life. I recognize that police reports indicate he had some minor brushes with the law, but George Floyd was no hardened criminal who deserved to die like an animal on the street.
On that same sad note, as I look at Philadelphia’s murder rate, homicides are up 33% from 2020, with 169 murders as of May 2, 2021. We have been witnesses to countless Black Lives Matter demonstrations across the nation and here in our own backyard, but the words have a hollow echo to me in our own community. If “Black Lives Matter” so much, why do we keep killing each other? And then, when black children are murdered, if you’re lucky, you might see one or two candlelight vigils or balloon release events. And that’s that. Crickets. However, when a white police officer kills a Black person, the floodgates of angry Black Lives Matter demonstrators come out of the woodwork.
Call me slow, I don’t care, but I am confused. I thought “Black Lives Matter,” all Black lives? But we only come out in mass and march and demonstrate for those killed by Police. Things that make you go hmmm.
It’s a holiday weekend ahead, Memorial Day weekend. Those that believe in the power of prayer stay in prayer. Be safe everyone.
