Minneapolis mayor calls for officer to be charged in George Floyd's death
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is calling for the officer seen kneeling on the neck of a black man who later died to be charged.
Speaking at a press conference Wednesday, Frey said he had relayed the call for charges in the death of George Floyd to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman. Freeman had earlier said he would review the findings of an investigation by the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension before making a charging decision, promising an "expedited" process.
Floyd, 46, died Monday after being taken into custody on suspicion of forgery. A video of the officer kneeling on Floyd's neck as he cried out that he couldn't breathe has drawn outrage and protests.
"We watched for five whole excruciating minutes as a white officer firmly pressed his knee into the neck of an unarmed handcuffed black man," Frey said Wednesday. "I saw no threat. I saw nothing that would signal this kind of force was necessary."
Frey did not specify which charge he is calling for. He said that for the past 36 hours he had been grappling with the question, "Why is the man who killed George Floyd not in jail?" He said he couldn't answer the question, and because of that, he felt the need to speak out and call for justice.
"If I had done it, or if you had done it, we would be behind bars right now," Frey said.
Floyd's family has also called for the officers involved to be charged, saying his death was "clearly murder."
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office has not yet released a cause of manner of death for Floyd. The determination could take at least three weeks, a spokeswoman told CBS News.
Four officers who responded have been fired, Police Chief Medaria Arradondo announced Tuesday. The former officers have been identified as Derek Chavin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng.
Later in the day, several hundred people gathered to protest around the bus stop where Floyd was arrested. The protests continued at the scene on Wednesday.
Police originally said Floyd was resisting arrest, but a new video obtained by CBS News shows what appears to be the start of the confrontation between Floyd and police. The video from a restaurant security camera shows officers taking Floyd into custody, but the restaurant's owner said it does not show Floyd resisting arrest.
"From what I saw, it didn't look like he was resisting at all," said restaurant owner Rashad West.
Frey also called on Wednesday for the officers' body-worn video to be released as soon as possible.
Jeff Pegues contributed reporting.