By Aaron Miller-
Police camera footage showing George Floyd pleading with the officers who were arresting him moments before he died has been released in full for the first time.
The video, previously only available to journalists and members of the public to view by appointment, has now been given the green light to be published following a ruling by a Hennepin County judge.
In the recordings from Minneapolis officers Thomas Lane and J Kueng, Mr Floyd can be heard telling them “I’m not a bad guy” as they try to wrestle him into a police car.
The officers were the first to arrive on the scene after a complaint that Floyd had attempted to pass a fake $20 bill to buy cigarettes at Cup Foods, a store in the Powderhorn Park section of Minneapolis.
The footage begins in the store where Floyd allegedly tried to buy goods with the suspect bill.
The footage reveals Kueng approaching the passenger side, where Floyd’s ex, Shawanda Hill is in the back seat and a friend, Maurice Hall, is in the front. It reveals officer Thomas Lane tapping on the window of Floyd’s SUV to confront him about the allegation.
Floyd very reluctantly opens the door, and is immediately greeted by Lane’s handgun and points it straight at Floyd’s head.
Credit: Minneapolis Police Body Cam
“I’m not that kind of guy,” Mr Floyd says as he struggles against the officers. “I just had COVID, man, I don’t want to go back to that.”
An onlooker can be heard pleading with Mr Floyd to stop struggling, saying: “You can’t win.” Mr Floyd replies, “I don’t want to win.”
Mr Floyd’s voice began fading, as it was face-down on the street, saying, “I can’t breathe” before he goes still.
Brief clips of Derek Chauvin, holding his knee against Mr Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes, is charged with second-degree murder. Lane, Kueng and another officer, Tou Thao, are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter.
Chauvin and Floyd had worked together, and are believed to have had some history from their association at the nightclub where they worked. Their are circulating rumours in Texas pointing to an unspoken about history between the pair that could explain a motive for the callous police officer’s fatal actions.
Record
Strangely enough, many who say they know of tense history between George Floyd and Derek Chauvin, are reluctant to go on record with their account of any history they believe the George Floyd and Derek Chauvin may have had. Some individuals who claim to have either known George Floyd or Derek Chauvin have independently suggested a vendetta Chauvin may have had against Floyd.
But there are no signs that any evidence of past history will be part of the case, but there will be some digging.
Besides, with the precise nature of Chauvin’s relationship with Floyd still a part of police investigation, publishing unconfirmed claims could be tricky. Some researchers in Texas have continued to probe circulating claims in some circles about alleged chain of events that led to Chauvin harbouring a deep-seated grudge against Mr.Floyd
Resume
Chauvin’s professional resume was viewed positively by his colleagues despite the fact he had been involved in two deadly encounters with civilians and two none-fatal shootings. However, the 19-year veteran was disciplined just once out of 17 misconduct complaints logged since 2001.
What stood out for Chauvin’s colleges, were commendations for disarming gang members and intervening during domestic-abuse calls.
During the arrest, one officer can be heard saying: “I think he’s passing out.”
“You guys all right, though?” someone asks. “Yeah – good so far,” said one.
Another, identified to be Lane ,said: “My knee might be a little scratched, but I’ll survive.”
Lane asks Chauvin whether they should roll Mr Floyd on his side and suggests that he might be in delirium.
In the tape, the crowd can be heard expressing fear for Mr Floyd’s condition, asking whether he had a pulse and was breathing.
Lane not long after, repeats his suggestion about rolling Mr Floyd onto his side. He was getting frightened of the worst by then, but it was too late.
The officers go quiet as Kueng checks for a pulse and admits he can’t find one.Lane’s camera shows him following an unresponsive Mr Floyd on a stretcher into an ambulance, where paramedics instructed him to perform CPR.