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| Looking the other way is complicity to murder. |
Three former Minneapolis police officers were convicted on Thursday of violating George Floyd's civil rights, as a federal jury rejected their arguments that inexperience, improper training or the distraction of shouting bystanders excused them from failing to prevent Floyd's killing.
Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane were handed their federal sandwich. They were convicted in federal court of depriving Floyd of medical treatment and failing to stop the killer cop, Derek Chauvin from pressing his goddamn knee on that poor man's neck. The press on the 46-year old Floyd's neck for 9 1/2 minutes led to him dying.
Kueng knelt on Floyd's back, Lane held his leg and Thao kept bystanders back.
Thao and Keung were also convicted of failing to intervene. They failed to stop that killer from pressing his knee on the neck. That incident sparked days of unrest in Minneapolis.
It also brought to question policing in America, racism and calls for systematic change in the United States. We're still dealing with this every fucking day. Given that the former Brooklyn Center cop who killed Daunte Wright is getting less than two years in the iron college, the calls for change in policing are desperately needed.
Mind you we don't want to "defund the police." We want the police to have proper training, a better recognition of the citizens, more community outreach to prevent methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin and cocaine from reaching the streets and keeping firearms limited. I would love to see mental health training for police officers. I would love to see police officers held accountable for social media postings. If they post racially offensive or disturbing content in regards to incidents involving people of color, they should be fired out the cannon. If they commit traffic violations like speeding, running red lights, blatant disregard for life on the road, they should be held accountable.
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| Rest in power, Perry. |
Anyway, Philonise Floyd, George's brother, an activist for police reform said that these verdicts will assure "accountability" to those who abuse their powers wearing the badge. He added, "There can never be justice because I can never get George back."
A jury of four men and eight woman that appeared to be all-white reached the verdicts after about two days of deliberations. The court did not released demographics such as race or age. Lane is white, Kueng is Black and Thao is Hmong American.
The cops are still out on a "get out free" card while they are awaiting their sentencing. They will be sentenced in the coming weeks. The conviction a federal civil rights violation carries at least 30 years in federal time out. They will could face LIFE or DEATH if convicted, although it's unlikely.
The former cops did not speak on the matter.
The former cop Chauvin was sentenced for 22 1/2 years. He also pleaded guilty to federal civil rights violation charges. He will get probably an addition eight years to make 30 years. The sentence he will be handed will be concurrent.
Since the case was in federal court, there were no cameras.
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