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George Floyd Memorial Updates: ‘Get Your Knee Off Our Necks,’ Sharpton Demands George Floyd Memorial Updates: ‘Get Your Knee Off Our Necks,’ Sharpton Demands
(32 minutes later)
The police officer’s knee on George Floyd’s neck — the instrument of his death, prosecutors contend — is a metaphor for the entire African-American experience, the Rev. Al Sharpton declared at an emotional memorial service in Minneapolis on Thursday.The police officer’s knee on George Floyd’s neck — the instrument of his death, prosecutors contend — is a metaphor for the entire African-American experience, the Rev. Al Sharpton declared at an emotional memorial service in Minneapolis on Thursday.
“The reason we could never be who we wanted to be and dreamed of being is you kept your knee on our neck,” Mr. Sharpton said in a sanctuary full of Mr. Floyd’s relatives and friends, along with political and religious leaders, as people around the world watched on television and online.“The reason we could never be who we wanted to be and dreamed of being is you kept your knee on our neck,” Mr. Sharpton said in a sanctuary full of Mr. Floyd’s relatives and friends, along with political and religious leaders, as people around the world watched on television and online.
“It’s time for us to stand up in George’s name and say get your knee off our necks,” he added.“It’s time for us to stand up in George’s name and say get your knee off our necks,” he added.
The event, at turns somber and defiant, followed more than a week of upheaval around the United States prompted by the video of a white police officer kneeling for almost nine minutes on Mr. Floyd’s neck as he lay face down and handcuffed on the pavement, saying “I can’t breathe.”The event, at turns somber and defiant, followed more than a week of upheaval around the United States prompted by the video of a white police officer kneeling for almost nine minutes on Mr. Floyd’s neck as he lay face down and handcuffed on the pavement, saying “I can’t breathe.”
In death, the 46-year-old Mr. Floyd has become a symbol of police brutality. But family members remembered him as Perry — known to people in the neighborhood as “Big Floyd” — with a gift for making friends and making people feel welcome.In death, the 46-year-old Mr. Floyd has become a symbol of police brutality. But family members remembered him as Perry — known to people in the neighborhood as “Big Floyd” — with a gift for making friends and making people feel welcome.
“The thing I miss most about him is his hugs,” said one of Mr. Floyd’s cousins, Shareeduh Tate. “He was just this big giant.”“The thing I miss most about him is his hugs,” said one of Mr. Floyd’s cousins, Shareeduh Tate. “He was just this big giant.”
His brother, Philonise, remembered sharing banana-and-mayonnaise sandwiches and playing football.His brother, Philonise, remembered sharing banana-and-mayonnaise sandwiches and playing football.
“Everywhere you go and see people, how they cling to him,” he said. “They wanted to be around him.”“Everywhere you go and see people, how they cling to him,” he said. “They wanted to be around him.”
A mural above the dais of the Frank J. Lindquist Sanctuary at North Central University depicted Mr. Floyd’s face above the words “Now I can breathe.” Behind Mr. Floyd’s gleaming bronze coffin, a choir and musicians filled the room with gospel music.A mural above the dais of the Frank J. Lindquist Sanctuary at North Central University depicted Mr. Floyd’s face above the words “Now I can breathe.” Behind Mr. Floyd’s gleaming bronze coffin, a choir and musicians filled the room with gospel music.
When Mr. Floyd called out in his last minutes for his late mother, she “was reaching out to him” from beyond, Mr. Sharpton said, welcoming him to “a place where the wicked don’t threaten you.”When Mr. Floyd called out in his last minutes for his late mother, she “was reaching out to him” from beyond, Mr. Sharpton said, welcoming him to “a place where the wicked don’t threaten you.”
Mr. Sharpton pledged that Mr. Floyd’s death would not be forgotten.Mr. Sharpton pledged that Mr. Floyd’s death would not be forgotten.
“We’re going to keep marching, George,” Mr. Sharpton said. “We’re going to keep fighting, George.”“We’re going to keep marching, George,” Mr. Sharpton said. “We’re going to keep fighting, George.”
Before the service began, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith of Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz, Mayors Jacob Frey of Minneapolis and Melvin Carter of St. Paul and many others milled about, most of them wearing masks, quietly greeting each other with nods and elbow bumps.Before the service began, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith of Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz, Mayors Jacob Frey of Minneapolis and Melvin Carter of St. Paul and many others milled about, most of them wearing masks, quietly greeting each other with nods and elbow bumps.
Mr. Frey knelt with one hand on the coffin for minutes, his body heaving and tears on his face.Mr. Frey knelt with one hand on the coffin for minutes, his body heaving and tears on his face.
Memorials for Mr. Floyd will also be held on Saturday in Raeford, N.C., and on Monday in Houston.Memorials for Mr. Floyd will also be held on Saturday in Raeford, N.C., and on Monday in Houston.
Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska on Thursday became the first Republican senator to say she was considering not voting for President Trump, as she endorsed scathing criticism of the president by James Mattis, the former defense secretary.Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska on Thursday became the first Republican senator to say she was considering not voting for President Trump, as she endorsed scathing criticism of the president by James Mattis, the former defense secretary.
Ms. Murkowski said the critique by Mr. Mattis on Wednesday, in which he said that Mr. Trump had divided the nation and failed to lead, was overdue and might be a tipping point that would cause Republicans to air concerns about the president that they had only spoken about privately.Ms. Murkowski said the critique by Mr. Mattis on Wednesday, in which he said that Mr. Trump had divided the nation and failed to lead, was overdue and might be a tipping point that would cause Republicans to air concerns about the president that they had only spoken about privately.
Some Republican lawmakers have found fault with the president’s handling of the unrest convulsing the nation, but Ms. Murkowski was the most explicit so far in her support for the comments by Mr. Mattis, a former four-star Marine Corps general.Some Republican lawmakers have found fault with the president’s handling of the unrest convulsing the nation, but Ms. Murkowski was the most explicit so far in her support for the comments by Mr. Mattis, a former four-star Marine Corps general.
“I was really thankful,” Ms. Murkowski told reporters on Capitol Hill. “I thought General Mattis’s words were true and honest and necessary and overdue.”“I was really thankful,” Ms. Murkowski told reporters on Capitol Hill. “I thought General Mattis’s words were true and honest and necessary and overdue.”
Ms. Murkowski, one of the few Republicans in Congress who has been willing to break publicly with Mr. Trump, added that when she saw the Mattis statement, “I felt like perhaps we’re getting to the point where we can be more honest with the concerns that we might hold internally, and have the courage of our own convictions to speak up.”Ms. Murkowski, one of the few Republicans in Congress who has been willing to break publicly with Mr. Trump, added that when she saw the Mattis statement, “I felt like perhaps we’re getting to the point where we can be more honest with the concerns that we might hold internally, and have the courage of our own convictions to speak up.”
Asked whether she could still support Mr. Trump in the coming election, Ms. Murkowski said: “I am struggling with it. I have struggled with it for a long time.”Asked whether she could still support Mr. Trump in the coming election, Ms. Murkowski said: “I am struggling with it. I have struggled with it for a long time.”
In his statement, Mr. Mattis said: “Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership.”In his statement, Mr. Mattis said: “Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership.”
“When I joined the military, some 50 years ago, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution,” Mr. Mattis wrote. “Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the constitutional rights of their fellow citizens — much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected commander in chief, with military leadership standing alongside.”“When I joined the military, some 50 years ago, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution,” Mr. Mattis wrote. “Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the constitutional rights of their fellow citizens — much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected commander in chief, with military leadership standing alongside.”
The statement came hours after the current defense secretary, Mark T. Esper, said he did not think the present state of unrest in U.S. cities warranted the deployment of active-duty troops to confront protesters. Mr. Esper’s comments contradicted Mr. Trump, who has repeatedly raised the possibility of the Insurrection Act to do exactly that.The statement came hours after the current defense secretary, Mark T. Esper, said he did not think the present state of unrest in U.S. cities warranted the deployment of active-duty troops to confront protesters. Mr. Esper’s comments contradicted Mr. Trump, who has repeatedly raised the possibility of the Insurrection Act to do exactly that.
In a Pentagon news conference on Wednesday, Mr. Esper said ordering active-duty troops to police American cities should be a “last resort and only in the most urgent and dire of situations.” He said that, for now, this was not warranted.In a Pentagon news conference on Wednesday, Mr. Esper said ordering active-duty troops to police American cities should be a “last resort and only in the most urgent and dire of situations.” He said that, for now, this was not warranted.
Three former Minneapolis police officers charged with aiding in George Floyd’s death made a brief appearance in court on Thursday afternoon, in a first public appearance since protests seized the nation.Three former Minneapolis police officers charged with aiding in George Floyd’s death made a brief appearance in court on Thursday afternoon, in a first public appearance since protests seized the nation.
The officers, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, appeared one at a time, wearing masks because of coronavirus concerns. Amid protests and high national tensions, attorneys for the defendants entered the courtroom via a corridor flanked by National Guard soldiers and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Deputies.The officers, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, appeared one at a time, wearing masks because of coronavirus concerns. Amid protests and high national tensions, attorneys for the defendants entered the courtroom via a corridor flanked by National Guard soldiers and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Deputies.
A Hennepin County district judge, Paul R. Scoggin, considered and denied requests for reduced bail, which was set at $750,000 each with certain conditions.A Hennepin County district judge, Paul R. Scoggin, considered and denied requests for reduced bail, which was set at $750,000 each with certain conditions.
The officers were charged on Wednesday with aiding and abetting second-degree murder, as well as aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. A fourth former officer who was seen on video holding Mr. Floyd down, Derek Chauvin, faces a charge of second-degree murder, as well as second-degree manslaughter.The officers were charged on Wednesday with aiding and abetting second-degree murder, as well as aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. A fourth former officer who was seen on video holding Mr. Floyd down, Derek Chauvin, faces a charge of second-degree murder, as well as second-degree manslaughter.
All four officers were fired after video emerged of the May 25 arrest that led to the killing.All four officers were fired after video emerged of the May 25 arrest that led to the killing.
Mr. Chauvin, who is white, held his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. Mr. Lane held his legs and Mr. Kueng held his back, while Mr. Thao stood by, according to video footage of the encounter.Mr. Chauvin, who is white, held his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. Mr. Lane held his legs and Mr. Kueng held his back, while Mr. Thao stood by, according to video footage of the encounter.
Mr. Lane is white and Mr. Thao is Hmong, according to a spokesman for the Minnesota attorney general. Mr. Kueng is black, according to his defense lawyer.Mr. Lane is white and Mr. Thao is Hmong, according to a spokesman for the Minnesota attorney general. Mr. Kueng is black, according to his defense lawyer.
The hearing and 235 pages of personnel records released by the Minneapolis Police Department late Wednesday revealed the varying histories of the four officers, and lawyers sought to paint a contrast between Mr. Lane and Mr. Kueng, who were new to the force, and Mr. Chauvin, who had been with the Minneapolis Police Department for nearly two decades.The hearing and 235 pages of personnel records released by the Minneapolis Police Department late Wednesday revealed the varying histories of the four officers, and lawyers sought to paint a contrast between Mr. Lane and Mr. Kueng, who were new to the force, and Mr. Chauvin, who had been with the Minneapolis Police Department for nearly two decades.
Lawyers for Mr. Lane and Mr. Kueng said they had only been full members of the police department for a matter of days when they got the call about Mr. Floyd, and that they had raised flags multiple times during the arrest while also looking to Mr. Chauvin for guidance.Lawyers for Mr. Lane and Mr. Kueng said they had only been full members of the police department for a matter of days when they got the call about Mr. Floyd, and that they had raised flags multiple times during the arrest while also looking to Mr. Chauvin for guidance.
A defense lawyer said Mr. Lane performed CPR on Mr. Floyd in the ambulance “for a lengthy period of time.”A defense lawyer said Mr. Lane performed CPR on Mr. Floyd in the ambulance “for a lengthy period of time.”
Mr. Chauvin, 44, was the subject of at least 17 misconduct complaints over two decades, though only one was detailed in 79 pages of his heavily redacted personnel file.Mr. Chauvin, 44, was the subject of at least 17 misconduct complaints over two decades, though only one was detailed in 79 pages of his heavily redacted personnel file.
A woman complained in 2007 that he needlessly removed her from her car, searched her and put her into the back of a squad car for driving 10 miles an hour over the speed limit. The file shows that the complaint was upheld and that Mr. Chauvin was issued a letter of reprimand.A woman complained in 2007 that he needlessly removed her from her car, searched her and put her into the back of a squad car for driving 10 miles an hour over the speed limit. The file shows that the complaint was upheld and that Mr. Chauvin was issued a letter of reprimand.
A Georgia investigator testified on Thursday that one of the three defendants accused of chasing down and killing Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who was jogging in Brunswick, Ga., heard another defendant use a racist slur after shooting Mr. Arbery.A Georgia investigator testified on Thursday that one of the three defendants accused of chasing down and killing Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who was jogging in Brunswick, Ga., heard another defendant use a racist slur after shooting Mr. Arbery.
At a preliminary hearing in the case, the investigator said that William Bryan, who used his cellphone to film the fatal encounter, heard the remark by Travis McMichael, the man who pulled the trigger.At a preliminary hearing in the case, the investigator said that William Bryan, who used his cellphone to film the fatal encounter, heard the remark by Travis McMichael, the man who pulled the trigger.
From the witness stand, Richard Dial, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation assistant special agent in charge of the case, said that Mr. Bryan heard Mr. McMichael use the slur after the shooting took place, and before the police arrived on the scene.From the witness stand, Richard Dial, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation assistant special agent in charge of the case, said that Mr. Bryan heard Mr. McMichael use the slur after the shooting took place, and before the police arrived on the scene.
The death of Mr. Arbery in February drew widespread condemnation that only intensified after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. His name has become one of several that protesters have repeated in recent days, urging attention to the issue of systemic racism and criminal justice reform in nationwide demonstrations.The death of Mr. Arbery in February drew widespread condemnation that only intensified after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. His name has become one of several that protesters have repeated in recent days, urging attention to the issue of systemic racism and criminal justice reform in nationwide demonstrations.
The purpose of the hearing is to determine whether probable cause exists to support the criminal charges against the three men.The purpose of the hearing is to determine whether probable cause exists to support the criminal charges against the three men.
Gregory McMichael, a retired investigator in the local district attorney’s office, and his son, Travis McMichael, were arrested May 7. Each was charged with murder and aggravated assault. They had pursued Mr. Arbery through their Satilla Shores neighborhood on the afternoon of Feb. 23, suspecting him of being the perpetrator of a number of neighborhood break-ins.Gregory McMichael, a retired investigator in the local district attorney’s office, and his son, Travis McMichael, were arrested May 7. Each was charged with murder and aggravated assault. They had pursued Mr. Arbery through their Satilla Shores neighborhood on the afternoon of Feb. 23, suspecting him of being the perpetrator of a number of neighborhood break-ins.
Travis McMichael, 34, who was armed with a shotgun, shot Mr. Arbery three times as the two men scuffled. Greg McMichael, 64, who had armed himself with a handgun, watched the shooting while standing in the bed of a pickup truck.Travis McMichael, 34, who was armed with a shotgun, shot Mr. Arbery three times as the two men scuffled. Greg McMichael, 64, who had armed himself with a handgun, watched the shooting while standing in the bed of a pickup truck.
Their neighbor, William Bryan, 50, made a video recording of the incident on his phone. He was arrested May 21 on charges of felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. In a police report, Greg McMichael appears to indicate that Mr. Bryan, who goes by “Roddie,” was a participant in the chase, telling an officer that Mr. Bryan “attempted to block” Mr. Arbery as he ran.Their neighbor, William Bryan, 50, made a video recording of the incident on his phone. He was arrested May 21 on charges of felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. In a police report, Greg McMichael appears to indicate that Mr. Bryan, who goes by “Roddie,” was a participant in the chase, telling an officer that Mr. Bryan “attempted to block” Mr. Arbery as he ran.
The three men remain in Glynn County jail and have not yet entered a plea in the case.The three men remain in Glynn County jail and have not yet entered a plea in the case.
Gov. Brian Kemp, in a news conference earlier this week, said that there would be a significant police presence in Brunswick on Thursday, given the unrest and violence that have rocked cities in protests over police violence.Gov. Brian Kemp, in a news conference earlier this week, said that there would be a significant police presence in Brunswick on Thursday, given the unrest and violence that have rocked cities in protests over police violence.
Senate Democrats on Thursday held a moment of silence lasting eight minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time that George Floyd was held down by a police officer, who kept his knee pressed on Mr. Floyd’s neck even after Mr. Floyd became unresponsive. Democrats in Congress are “on the brink” of unveiling legislation to address police brutality, racial profiling and the loss of trust between the police and their communities, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday.
The moment was also meant to honor Ahmaud Arbery, the 25-year-old black man killed while running down a suburban street in Brunswick, Ga., and Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old black medical worker who was shot by the police at her home in Louisville, Ky. Ms. Pelosi said the Congressional Black Caucus planned to unveil the bills on Monday that would go beyond the kind of incremental changes considered by Congress in the past. She called the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis “a threshold that our country has crossed,” and predicted that the debate could help push the country forward in meaningful ways.
Standing six feet apart next to a statue of Frederick Douglass in Emancipation Hall on Capitol Hill, it appeared to be the first moment the Democratic caucus had gathered in one place since the coronavirus pandemic began to spread through the Capitol. “We want to see this as a time where we can go forward in a very drastic way,” she told reporters. “Not incrementally, but in an important way to address those problems.”
A handful of senators — Tim Kaine of Virginia, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Michael Bennet of Colorado and Sherrod Brown of Ohio — knelt on the marble floor during the moment of silence. Ms. Pelosi declined to detail what would be included in the package, but Democrats have previously indicated they would try to outlaw chokeholds, set up a federal commission on the social status of black men, and make it easier to track violent officers as they move from department to department.
Senate Republicans pledged to act, as well, though they were on a slower track and are likely to pursue narrower solutions than those the Democrats will propose.
Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina and the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said Thursday that he would convene a hearing on June 16 on race and law enforcement, aimed at finding “better policing methods.”
“I’m willing to spend a lot of money to get the system to engage in better policing,” Mr. Graham said. “I’m willing to make it easier to fire bad cops who shouldn’t be wearing the uniform to begin with. Count me in for solutions.”
Meanwhile, on the Senate floor, a Republican blocked a move by two Democratic senators, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kamala Harris of California, to push through legislation that would make lynching a federal crime.
The bill overwhelmingly passed the House earlier this year, but Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky has insisted on trying to make changes, and refused on Thursday to allow it to pass without a formal vote.
“This is a very painful moment,” Senator Cory Booker, Democrat of New Jersey, said. He offered a short eulogy of Mr. Floyd’s life and death and called the setting appropriate for the moment.“This is a very painful moment,” Senator Cory Booker, Democrat of New Jersey, said. He offered a short eulogy of Mr. Floyd’s life and death and called the setting appropriate for the moment.
“I stood there in silence, looking down, and in my eyesight were the words ‘If there is no struggle, there is no progress,’” Mr. Booker said, referring to a quote from Mr. Douglass’s West India emancipation speech. “It was very profound for me.”“I stood there in silence, looking down, and in my eyesight were the words ‘If there is no struggle, there is no progress,’” Mr. Booker said, referring to a quote from Mr. Douglass’s West India emancipation speech. “It was very profound for me.”
Curfews imposed to clamp down on the looting and violence that has followed some peaceful daytime protests are now increasingly being lifted in a number of cities nationwide, with officials ramping up pledges to support peaceful demonstrators.Curfews imposed to clamp down on the looting and violence that has followed some peaceful daytime protests are now increasingly being lifted in a number of cities nationwide, with officials ramping up pledges to support peaceful demonstrators.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said on Thursday that the department would no longer enforce an overnight curfew, citing a “recent pattern of peaceful actions by protesters.” The county was soon followed by similar moves in several Southern California cities, including Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Culver City.Sheriff Alex Villanueva of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said on Thursday that the department would no longer enforce an overnight curfew, citing a “recent pattern of peaceful actions by protesters.” The county was soon followed by similar moves in several Southern California cities, including Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Culver City.
“Angelenos are rallying around powerful and peaceful demonstrations against racial injustice,” Eric Garcetti, the Mayor of Los Angeles, said in a statement announcing there would be no curfew.“Angelenos are rallying around powerful and peaceful demonstrations against racial injustice,” Eric Garcetti, the Mayor of Los Angeles, said in a statement announcing there would be no curfew.
The moves came a day after the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit arguing that curfews in Southern California suppressed political speech in violation of the First Amendment.The moves came a day after the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit arguing that curfews in Southern California suppressed political speech in violation of the First Amendment.
In Washington, where President Trump has encouraged shows of force from the military and law enforcement to crack down on protesters, Mayor Muriel Bowser said there would be no curfew on Thursday night.In Washington, where President Trump has encouraged shows of force from the military and law enforcement to crack down on protesters, Mayor Muriel Bowser said there would be no curfew on Thursday night.
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan of Seattle said on Thursday that the city’s curfew would end “following feedback from community leaders and protesters who wanted to ensure no peaceful individuals who were demonstrating were arrested.”Mayor Jenny A. Durkan of Seattle said on Thursday that the city’s curfew would end “following feedback from community leaders and protesters who wanted to ensure no peaceful individuals who were demonstrating were arrested.”
Not all cities were lifting curfews. The City of San Bernardino, one of the California cities named in the A.C.L.U.’s lawsuit, said on Thursday that its nightly curfew would remain in place for the time being.Not all cities were lifting curfews. The City of San Bernardino, one of the California cities named in the A.C.L.U.’s lawsuit, said on Thursday that its nightly curfew would remain in place for the time being.
In some cases, the curfews have prompted renewed frustration among demonstrators. In New York, a night of mostly peaceful protests on Wednesday culminated in police officers aggressively arresting protesters after an 8 p.m. curfew, leading to widespread outrage. On Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio emphatically defended the Police Department’s actions.In some cases, the curfews have prompted renewed frustration among demonstrators. In New York, a night of mostly peaceful protests on Wednesday culminated in police officers aggressively arresting protesters after an 8 p.m. curfew, leading to widespread outrage. On Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio emphatically defended the Police Department’s actions.
He reiterated that peaceful protests would be allowed to continue even after curfew, but that the police should have the discretion to decide when to disperse crowds even if all is calm.He reiterated that peaceful protests would be allowed to continue even after curfew, but that the police should have the discretion to decide when to disperse crowds even if all is calm.
A longtime friend of George Floyd who was in the passenger seat of Mr. Floyd’s car when he was arrested said on Wednesday night that Mr. Floyd had tried to defuse the tensions with the police and did not resist.A longtime friend of George Floyd who was in the passenger seat of Mr. Floyd’s car when he was arrested said on Wednesday night that Mr. Floyd had tried to defuse the tensions with the police and did not resist.
“He was, from the beginning, trying in his humblest form to show he was not resisting in no form or way,” said Maurice Lester Hall, 42.“He was, from the beginning, trying in his humblest form to show he was not resisting in no form or way,” said Maurice Lester Hall, 42.
“I could hear him pleading, ‘Please, officer, what’s all this for?’” Mr. Hall said in an interview with Erica L. Green of The New York Times on Wednesday night.“I could hear him pleading, ‘Please, officer, what’s all this for?’” Mr. Hall said in an interview with Erica L. Green of The New York Times on Wednesday night.
Mr. Hall was interviewed this week by Minnesota investigators as a key witness in the state’s case against four officers charged in Mr. Floyd’s death.Mr. Hall was interviewed this week by Minnesota investigators as a key witness in the state’s case against four officers charged in Mr. Floyd’s death.
He offered an account that he said filled in critical details that were not captured on video about what led up to the moments Mr. Floyd was taken into custody by police officers and ended up with his neck pinned to the ground under the weight of Derek Chauvin’s knee.He offered an account that he said filled in critical details that were not captured on video about what led up to the moments Mr. Floyd was taken into custody by police officers and ended up with his neck pinned to the ground under the weight of Derek Chauvin’s knee.
“When they approached, they approached with aggression,” Mr. Hall said of the Minneapolis police officers.“When they approached, they approached with aggression,” Mr. Hall said of the Minneapolis police officers.
Mr. Floyd complied with the instruction to show his hands, Mr. Hall said, but an officer started reaching into the car grabbing at them, prompting Mr. Floyd to ask why. “Now what are you doing that for, you asked to see my hands?” Mr. Hall recalled Mr. Floyd saying.Mr. Floyd complied with the instruction to show his hands, Mr. Hall said, but an officer started reaching into the car grabbing at them, prompting Mr. Floyd to ask why. “Now what are you doing that for, you asked to see my hands?” Mr. Hall recalled Mr. Floyd saying.
During Mr. Floyd’s arrest, Mr. Hall said he could hear his cries: “Please officer. I’ve been shot before.”During Mr. Floyd’s arrest, Mr. Hall said he could hear his cries: “Please officer. I’ve been shot before.”
Mr. Hall recounted Mr. Floyd’s last moments.Mr. Hall recounted Mr. Floyd’s last moments.
“He was just crying out at that time for anyone to help, because he was dying,” Mr. Hall said. “I’m going to always remember seeing the fear in Floyd’s face, because he’s such a king. That’s what sticks with me: seeing a grown man cry, before seeing a grown man die.”“He was just crying out at that time for anyone to help, because he was dying,” Mr. Hall said. “I’m going to always remember seeing the fear in Floyd’s face, because he’s such a king. That’s what sticks with me: seeing a grown man cry, before seeing a grown man die.”
Justin Howell was not the demonstrator who threw a water bottle on Sunday at officers guarding police headquarters, Chief Brian Manley of the Austin police said. It was not Mr. Howell, but someone next to him, who then hurled a backpack toward the officers, the chief said.Justin Howell was not the demonstrator who threw a water bottle on Sunday at officers guarding police headquarters, Chief Brian Manley of the Austin police said. It was not Mr. Howell, but someone next to him, who then hurled a backpack toward the officers, the chief said.
But as officers responded with force, it was Mr. Howell, 20, a student studying political science at Texas State University, who was struck in the head with a bean bag round fired by the police. Mr. Howell was critically injured.But as officers responded with force, it was Mr. Howell, 20, a student studying political science at Texas State University, who was struck in the head with a bean bag round fired by the police. Mr. Howell was critically injured.
The encounter is expected to be discussed at an Austin City Council hearing on Thursday afternoon about the actions of the police during the protests.The encounter is expected to be discussed at an Austin City Council hearing on Thursday afternoon about the actions of the police during the protests.
In an article published Wednesday in The Battalion, the student newspaper of Texas A&M University, Mr. Howells’ brother Joshua Howell wrote that Justin, who is black, sustained a skull fracture and brain damage and that doctors said he would probably not recover quickly.In an article published Wednesday in The Battalion, the student newspaper of Texas A&M University, Mr. Howells’ brother Joshua Howell wrote that Justin, who is black, sustained a skull fracture and brain damage and that doctors said he would probably not recover quickly.
“These ‘less-lethal’ munitions are only ‘less-lethal’ by technicality,” Joshua Howell, who is the opinion editor of the newspaper, wrote. “My brother’s condition shows what can happen when you fire them into a crowd.”“These ‘less-lethal’ munitions are only ‘less-lethal’ by technicality,” Joshua Howell, who is the opinion editor of the newspaper, wrote. “My brother’s condition shows what can happen when you fire them into a crowd.”
Saying the police in Austin were “entirely out of their depth,” Joshua Howell wrote that when people carried his brother’s limp body to the headquarters building for medical help, the police fired at them, too — as they had been told to do by other officers — a sequence of events that Chief Manley said on Monday was under investigation.Saying the police in Austin were “entirely out of their depth,” Joshua Howell wrote that when people carried his brother’s limp body to the headquarters building for medical help, the police fired at them, too — as they had been told to do by other officers — a sequence of events that Chief Manley said on Monday was under investigation.
“At minimum, it shows a complete inability to be aware of your surroundings and to manage the situation appropriately,” Joshua Howell wrote.“At minimum, it shows a complete inability to be aware of your surroundings and to manage the situation appropriately,” Joshua Howell wrote.
From coast to coast, protesters had a consistent reaction to the charges that have now been brought against three additional police officers in the death of George Floyd: It’s good news — and it’s not nearly enough. There need to be convictions. There needs to be systemic change.
“I think it’s going to be a really long fight, not just in Minnesota but in cities around the country,” said Izzy Smith, an educator from the South Side of Minneapolis who was among those demonstrating at the site where Mr. Floyd was arrested last month.
“This is a marathon, not a sprint,” she added, “so it’s keeping the foot on the gas but keep it steady.”
Nearby, Marquise Bowie said of the charges: “That’s good. It ain’t going to bring the man back, though. It’s a start.”
Some protesters expressed disappointment that the officer who pressed on Mr. Floyd’s neck, Derek Chauvin, had been charged with second-degree murder rather than first-degree, or that action against the other officers was not taken sooner.
“It’s about damn time,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights lawyer and protest organizer in Minneapolis. “If not for the outrage that had rocked the country, these officers never would have been charged.”
At a demonstration on the North Side of Chicago, Jonathan Mejias said he was gratified by the news, to a point. “It’s just one piece,” he said. “The world needs to know that it doesn’t end with resolving this one case. There are too many more out there.”
Byron Spencer, handing out water and burgers to protesters outside Los Angeles City Hall, said he was both “elated and defeated” by word of the new charges. He said he had seen countless surges of outrage over police brutality against black men, only to have it happen again.
“I’m 55, I’m black and I’m male. I’ve seen the cycle,” he said. “It’s almost like PTSD constantly having this conversation with my son.”
Cierra Sesay reacted to the charges at a demonstration in the shadow of the State Capitol in Denver. “It’s amazing, it’s another box we can check,” she said. “But it goes up so much higher. It’s about the system.”
More protests were held across New York City, with police clashing with large numbers of demonstrators who refused to abide by the city’s 8 p.m. curfew. Earlier on Wednesday, Celia Oliver, 30, a nurse practitioner, brought her 9-month-old son Elliot to a rally on Roosevelt Island.
“I think it’s important to show that all of us — and every person who has been killed — started out as babies,” Ms. Oliver said, referring to why she and her husband had brought their son along. “It’s his first lesson in anti-racism.”
In San Francisco, Tevita Tomasi — who is of Polynesian descent and described himself as “dark and tall and big” — said he regularly faced racial profiling. On Wednesday, he distributed bottled water at what he said was his first demonstration but would not be his last. What would stop him from protesting?
“They would have to shoot me.”
A black man who called out “I can’t breathe” before dying in police custody in Tacoma, Wash., was killed as a result of oxygen deprivation and the physical restraint that was used on him, according to details of a medical examiner’s report released on Wednesday.
The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that the death of the man, Manuel Ellis, 33, was a homicide. Investigators with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department were in the process of preparing a report about the March death, which occurred shortly after an arrest by officers from the Tacoma Police Department, said the sheriff’s spokesman, Ed Troyer.
“The information is all being put together,” Detective Troyer said. “We expect to present it to the prosecutor at the end of this week or early next week.”
Mr. Ellis’s sister, Monet Carter-Mixon, called for action to bring accountability in the death and further scrutiny of both the Police Department’s practices and how the investigation into his death has been handled.
“There’s a lot of questions that still need to be answered,” Ms. Carter-Mixon said.
Mr. Ellis died from respiratory arrest, hypoxia and physical restraint, according to the medical examiner’s office. The report listed methamphetamine intoxication and heart disease as contributing factors.
Police officers encountered Mr. Ellis, a musician and father of two from Tacoma, on the night of March 3 as they were stopped at an intersection. They saw him banging on the window of another vehicle, Detective Troyer said.
Mr. Ellis approached the officers, Detective Troyer said, and then threw an officer to the ground when the officer got out of the vehicle. The two officers and two backup officers who joined — two of them white, one black and one Asian — handcuffed him.
“Mr. Ellis was physically restrained as he continued to be combative,” the Tacoma Police Department said in a statement on Wednesday.
Detective Troyer said he did not know all the details of the restraint the officers used — they were not wearing body cameras — but said he did not believe they used a chokehold or a knee on Mr. Ellis’s neck. They rolled him on his side after he called out, “I can’t breathe.”
Drew Brees, the N.F.L. quarterback, has apologized, one day after receiving intense and widespread criticism for saying he considered it disrespectful for players to kneel during the national anthem in protest of police brutality.
Mr. Brees, the star quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, made his initial comments after he was asked in an interview with Yahoo Finance how the N.F.L. should respond if players resumed kneeling when the season starts again. “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country,” he said. “I think what you do by standing there and showing respect to the flag with your hand over your heart, is it shows unity.”
Mr. Brees’s comments prompted outrage, as the nation confronted a wave of protests following the death of George Floyd.
By Thursday morning, Mr. Brees had apologized on Instagram, saying his comments were insensitive and “missed the mark.”
“Those words have become divisive and hurtful and have misled people into believing that somehow I am an enemy,” Mr. Brees said, adding that he stood with African-Americans in the fight against systemic racial injustice and police brutality.
“I recognize that I should do less talking and more listening,” he said, “and when the black community is talking about their pain, we all need to listen.”
Reporting was contributed by Tim Arango, Mike Baker, Kim Barker, Katie Benner, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, Emily Cochrane, Nick Corasaniti, Michael Crowley, Elizabeth Dias, John Eligon, Reid J. Epstein, Tess Felder, Lazaro Gamio, Sandra E. Garcia, Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Katie Glueck, Russell Goldman, Erica L. Green, Richard Fausset, Amy Julia Harris, Shawn Hubler, Carl Hulse, Mike Ives, Sean Keenan, Neil MacFarquhar, Barbara Marcolini, Patricia Mazzei, Sarah Mervosh, Richard A. Oppel Jr., Richard Perez-Peña, Catherine Porter, Elisabetta Povoledo, Michael Powell, Frances Robles, Alejandra Rosa, Marc Santora, Anna Schaverien, Thomas Shanker, Derrick Taylor, Glenn Thrush, Daniel Victor, Neil Vigdor, Karen Weise and Mihir Zaveri.Reporting was contributed by Tim Arango, Mike Baker, Kim Barker, Katie Benner, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, Emily Cochrane, Nick Corasaniti, Michael Crowley, Elizabeth Dias, John Eligon, Reid J. Epstein, Tess Felder, Lazaro Gamio, Sandra E. Garcia, Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Katie Glueck, Russell Goldman, Erica L. Green, Richard Fausset, Amy Julia Harris, Shawn Hubler, Carl Hulse, Mike Ives, Sean Keenan, Neil MacFarquhar, Barbara Marcolini, Patricia Mazzei, Sarah Mervosh, Richard A. Oppel Jr., Richard Perez-Peña, Catherine Porter, Elisabetta Povoledo, Michael Powell, Frances Robles, Alejandra Rosa, Marc Santora, Anna Schaverien, Thomas Shanker, Derrick Taylor, Glenn Thrush, Daniel Victor, Neil Vigdor, Karen Weise and Mihir Zaveri.