Minnesota authorities released a criminal complaint Friday afternoon outlining murder and manslaughter charges against Derek Chauvin, the fired Minneapolis police officer seen in viral video footage kneeling on the neck of George Floyd.
Floyd ultimately died in police custody after being apprehended for allegedly using counterfeit currency. His death on Monday, May 25, has set off waves of protests in Minneapolis and around the country calling for justice for his killing.
Chauvin faces state charges, including third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, filed in Minnesota district court. The criminal complaint lays out several new allegations in the case, including that Chauvin’s knee was on Floyd’s neck for two minutes and 53 seconds after Floyd was unresponsive. After Floyd repeatedly told officers he couldn’t breathe and called out for his “mama,” the officers told Floyd that he was “talking fine,” according to the complaint.
The criminal complaint concludes with the Hennepin County Medical Examiner noting there were “no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation.”
“Mr. Floyd had underlying health conditions including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease,” the complaint said. “The combined effects of Mr. Floyd being restrained by the police, his underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death.”
Read the full document below:
