Attorney For George Floyd's Family Appeals To U.N. To Intervene In Case
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Ben Crump, the attorney for the family of George Floyd, has appealed to the United Nations to intervene in the case, calling for all four officers involved in his death to be charged with first-degree murder.
In a letter sent last week to the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, Crump laid out the details of Floyd's death and other recent incidents of police brutality in the United States, arguing that they amount to a human rights issue for black Americans.
The letter urges the working group to call upon American leaders, both at the local and federal level, to support charges of first-degree murder against the four officers involved in Floyd's death.
George Floyd's family and legal team have submitted an Urgent Appeal to the UN to intervene in the case of #GeorgeFloyd's death, inc. encouraging the US government to press federal criminal charges against involved officers and making recommendations for systemic police reform. pic.twitter.com/fDKb7Ct0Ti
— Benjamin Crump, Esq. (@AttorneyCrump) June 8, 2020
The family is also urging the U.N. to call for 10 other changes to the criminal justice system, including ending qualified immunity for American police officers, mandating that all body-camera footage of police killings be immediately released following an incident, and the establishment of an independent commission to review, investigate and prosecute incidents where people die in police custody.
Floyd, 46, died on May 25 after being arrested for trying to use a fake $20 bill at a south Minneapolis corner store. Cellphone video showed now-former officer Derek Chauvin with his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. Handcuffed with his hands behind his back, Floyd repeatedly told Chauvin and the other officers that he couldn't breathe. He was pronounced dead moments later.
Chauvin is currently charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. His first court appearance is slated for Monday. The other three former officers involved in Floyd's death are charged with aiding and abetting manslaughter.