Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been convicted of all charges in the death of George Floyd. His bond was withdrawn and he now faces the outlook of spending the rest of his life in prison. There are three other officers who have been charged with aiding and abetting in Floyd’s death. And many Americans have wondered what will become of the former police officers.
Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane were also fired the day after Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020. They have stayed out of the spotlight compared to Derek Chauvin who has now become the face of “police systemic racism.”
Floyd resisted arrest that day on May 25th after being arrested on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill for a pack of cigarettes at a corner market in Minneapolis. After three officers struggled to place the large man in the back of the squad car, they placed him on the ground face down instead.
The three officers who have been charged with aiding and abetting in Floyd’s death responded to the call but did not directly cut off Floyd’s breathing.
The three officers were later charged with aiding and abetting unintentional second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter – charges that carry up to 40 years in prison.
They will stand trial in court together beginning on Aug. 23 in Hennepin County. The men remain free on $750,000 bail.
The community of Hennepin County reacted with jubilation around the entire city of Minneapolis. Flooding the streets with banners, cheering, and laughing in the streets as Chauvin’s guilty verdict will likely end the former police officer’s life.
Over the last few decades, police officers have been painted as the villains in the stories of these criminals who have made “gangbanging” and doing drugs just an innocent pastime. It was heartbreaking to see America be so surrounded by fear to do what is right due to the violence that the people cheering in the streets would have done if Chauvin wasn’t found guilty.
“One down, three to go!” Was the cheer that people cried at the intersection of where George Floyd resisted arrest and died from his consequences.
