Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the Justice Department is beginning a federal “pattern or practice” civil investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department following former officer Derek Chauvin being found guilty Tuesday for the murder of George Floyd.
Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man, died in police custody on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin pinned him down by placing a knee on his neck for more than nine minutes as Floyd and onlookers called on the police to stop. Chauvin, 45, was found guilty by a jury Tuesday on charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter.
The jury’s verdict came in under 24 hours, signaling little disagreement by the 12 men and women about whether the former Minneapolis police officer murdered Floyd when placing him under arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes at a gas station.
DEREK CHAUVIN FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD
Chauvin faces up to 40 years in prison, and his sentencing hearing will take place in eight weeks.
“Today, I am announcing that the Justice Department has opened a civil investigation to determine whether the Minneapolis Police Department engages in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional or unlawful policing,” Garland announced during a short speech Wednesday morning. “This effort will be staffed by experienced attorneys and other personnel from the Justice Department’s civil rights division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota. The new civil investigation is separate from and independent of the federal criminal investigation into the death of George Floyd that the Justice Department has previously announced.”
Footage of Floyd’s death in police custody set off a wave of outrage, leading to protests in major cities across the nation, many of which became violent as protesters rioted, looted stores, destroyed property, burned buildings, and clashed with police.
Rioting in Minneapolis resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in damages, with many buildings destroyed never replaced. The Black Lives Matter movement helped lead the protests in the United States and around the world, with calls to “defund the police.”
Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, argued that Floyd’s death was due to a toxic combination of fentanyl and a preexisting heart condition and said the use of force was justified, as Floyd resisted arrest. The jury disagreed. Three officers involved in Floyd’s detainment, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane, have been charged with aiding and abetting murder, and their trial is slated for August.
“The investigation I am announcing today will assess whether the Minneapolis Police Department engages in a pattern or practice of using excessive force, including during protests,” Garland said Wednesday. “The investigation will also assess whether the MPD engages in discriminatory conduct and whether its treatment of those with behavioral or health disabilities is unlawful. It will include a comprehensive review of the Minneapolis Police Department’s policies, training, supervision, and use of force investigations. It will assess the effectiveness of the MPD’s current systems of accountability and whether other mechanisms are needed to ensure constitutional and lawful policing.”
Garland said Tuesday: “The jury in the state trial of Derek Chauvin has fulfilled its civic duty and rendered a verdict convicting him on all counts. While the state’s prosecution was successful, I know that nothing can fill the void that the loved ones of George Floyd have felt since his death. The Justice Department has previously announced a federal civil rights investigation into the death of George Floyd. This investigation is ongoing.”
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Then-Attorney General William Barr announced the Justice Department’s civil rights investigation into Floyd’s killing on June 4, 2020, saying, “As we typically do in cases such as this, the Department of Justice is conducting a parallel and independent investigation into possible violations of federal civil rights laws. The president has directed me to spare no effort.”
“Our nation is now confronting two serious threats to the rule of law. The first is a long-standing one but was recently crystallized and driven home by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The video of police conduct in this episode is harrowing,” Barr said. “When you watch it and imagine that one of your own loved ones was being treated like that and begging for their lives, it is impossible for any normal human being not to be struck in the heart with horror. … Unfortunately, the aftermath of George Floyd’s death has produced a second challenge to the rule of law. While many have peacefully expressed their anger and grief, others have hijacked protests to engage in lawlessness.”
