Minnesota Attorney General, Keith Ellison, during a press conference announced Former MN Officer Chauvin has upgraded the charge to 2nd-degree murder, 2nd-degree manslaughter and that 3 other officers are being charged with aiding and abetting in the death of George Floyd.
Ellison stated: "First, today, I filed an amended complaint that charges former Minnesota Police Officer Derek Chauvin with murder in the 2nd degree, for the death of George Floyd. I believe the evidence available to us supports the stronger charge of 2nd-degree murder, we’ve consulted with each other and we agree".
He added: "Second, arrests warrants were issued for J.A. Kueng, Thomas Lane, Tou Tao. Finally, I’d like to announce that today, Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman and I filed a complaint that charges police officers King, Lane, and Tao with aiding and abetting murder in the 2nd degree, a felony offense. I strongly believe that these development are in the interest of justice for Mr. Floyd, his family, our community, and our state."
The charges stem from the incident that occurred on May 25, 2020, Memorial Day, after Floyd allegedly tried to pay for cigarettes with a $20 counterfeit bill at a local convenience store in Minneapolis, MN. The 4 police officers responded to the 911 call from the convenience store clerk and handcuffed and detained Floyd and his companion at the scene. The video of the incident went viral and is available across social media.
