Dillon writes: "Minnesota has filed a civil rights complaint against the Minneapolis Police Department to investigate racism 'that is generations deep,' Governor Tim Walz announced Tuesday."
George Floyd's niece Angel Buechner speaks during a protest outside the residence of governor of Minnesota Tim Walz, over his death, an unarmed black man, who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes on June 1, 2020 in Minneapolis. (photo: Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images)
State of Minnesota Files Civil Rights Charge Against Minneapolis Police After George Floyd's Death
03 June 20
innesota has filed a civil rights complaint against the Minneapolis Police Department to investigate racism “that is generations deep,” Gov. Tim Walz announced Tuesday.
The probe, sparked by the police homicide of black resident George Floyd on May 25, will be carried out by State Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero.
It will look at the department’s policies and practices going back a decade.
“We know that deeply seated issues exist,” the governor said. "I know it because we saw the casual nature of the erasing of George Floyd’s life and humanity. We also saw the reaction of the community. They expected nothing to happen, because nothing happened so many times before.”
Our Minnesota Department of Human Rights today filed a civil rights charge against the MPD. @mnhumanrights will investigate the department’s policies, procedures, and practices over the past 10 years to determine if they engaged in systemic discriminatory practices.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) June 2, 2020
Walz said the goal of the investigation is to determine where and when MPD engaged in systemic discrimination toward people of color and how to guard against violations going forward.
The FBI also is investigating the deadly daylight arrest caught on citizen video to possibly prosecute the officer for federal civil rights violations.
The Minneapolis Police Department and mayor’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Floyd died after he was taken in custody on suspicion of a non-violent crime, handcuffed and pinned to the ground by three officers.
Video of the arrest shows former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin with his knee pressing down on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes.
Two other officers, identified as J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas K. Lane, held Floyd down with knees on his body below the neck.
Protests expand globally in the wake of George Floyd's death
Fourth officer Tou Thao, who was fired like the other three last week, stood by and watched as bystanders called on the officers to relent and Floyd himself pleaded for air until he became non-responsive.
Chauvin was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Floyd’s family wants the charges upgraded to first-degree murder and all the officers charged.
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