George Floyd: Body Cam Video From Previous Arrest Won’t Be Allowed In Court
The attorney for former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane, who was charged in the death of George Floyd this past May, was asking the court to allow body camera video from a previous arrest involving Floyd in 2019. A judge has denied the request.
According to CBS, Judge Peter Cahill will not allow the body cam footage. However, a transcript of the video will be allowed.
The transcripts, which were obtained by WCCO, say Floyd was the passenger in an unlicensed vehicle that was stopped by Minneapolis PD. After Floyd is asked to unbuckle his seat belt three times, he says “don’t shoot me, man.”
Floyd is then told several times, according to the transcripts, to put his hands on the dash, but he allegedly didn’t listen. The officer subsequently says, “Put your hands on the dash. It’s the last time I’m going to tell you that. It’s simple. He keeps moving his hands around.”
The transcript says the officer pulled his gun while another officer approaches and tells Floyd, “open your mouth. Spit out what you’ve got.”
Floyd admitted it was a pill in his mouth, according to the transcript. He is then removed from the vehicle as a third officer points a taser at him. Floyd replies, “I thought you were just playing.”
Similar to the arrest that cost him his life, the body camera footage reportedly shows Floyd crying for his mother.
On May 25, George Floyd died after Derek Chauvin pinned him down kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. Two other officers helped while one stood by and watched. His death led to protests and demonstrations both in the United States and abroad shining a light on the injustices of Black men and women unjustly killed by white law enforcement officers.
In June, Chauvin was charged with first degree murder, while the three other officers involved in Floyd's death — J. Alexander Kueng, Tou Thao and Lane — were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. All four officers were relieved from their positions at the Minneapolis Police Department.
All men are now out on bail. Chauvin is reportedly allowed to leave the state of Minnesota due to “safety concerns.” The trial for all four men is currently scheduled for March 2021. It's not yet determined if all four will be tried together, or separately.
BET has been covering every angle of the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and other social justice cases and the subsequent aftermath and protests. For our continuing coverage, click here.
