Practice English Speaking&Listening with: AG Keith Ellison Announces New Charges Against All 4 Ex-MPD Officers In George Floyd's Death

WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE

GEORGE FLOYD IS NOT HERE.

HE SHOULD BE HERE.

HE SHOULD BE ALIVE, BUT HE IS

NOT.

ABOUT NINE DAYS AGO THE WORLD

WATCHED FLOYD UTTER HIS VERY

LAST WORDS "I CAN'T BREATHE"

AS HE A PLED FOR HIS LIFE.

TWO DAYS AGO WHEN I BECAME THE

LEAD PROSECUTOR IN THE MURDER

OF MR. FLOYD I ASKED FOR TIME

TO THOROUGHLY REVIEW ALL THE

EVIDENCE IN THE CASE.

WE LOOKED AT THE EVIDENCE

AVAILABLE AND THE INVESTIGATION

IS ONGOING AT THIS TIME.

I ALSO SAID THAT I KNOW IT IS

ASKING A LOT OF PEOPLE TO GIVE

US TIME, PARTICULARLY PEOPLE

WHO HAVE SUFFERED FOR DECADES

AND CENTURIES OF INJUSTICE TO

BE PATIENT, AND YET WE DID GET

THAT TIME AND TOGETHER A VERY

STRONG, EXPERIENCED TEAM,

INCLUDING ATTORNEY MIKE

FREEMAN, HIS TEAM AND MY TEAM,

WE REVIEWED THE EVIDENCE

TOGETHER WITH THE BCA AND WE

HAVE SOMETHING TO ANNOUNCE

TODAY.

BEFORE I ANNOUNCE IT, I WANT

TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE

PATIENCE OF THE PEOPLE THAT

THEY HAVE SHOWN ME AND OUR

ENTIRE TEAM IN PURSUIT OF

JUSTICE AND I AM HERE TO MAKE

THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS RIGHT NOW.

FIRST, TODAY, I FILED AN

AMENDED COMPLAINT THAT CHARGES

FORMER MINNEAPOLIS POLICE

OFFICER DEREK CHAUVIN WITH

MURDER IN THE 2nd DEGREE FOR

THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD.

I BELIEVE THE EVIDENCE

AVAILABLE NOW SUPPORTS THE

STRONGER CHARGE OF 2nd DEGREE

MURDER.

WE CONSULTED WITH EACH OTHER

AND WE AGREE.

SECOND, TODAY ARREST WARRANTS

WERE ISSUED FOR FORMER

MINNEAPOLIS POLICE OFFICERS

J.A.

KING, THOMAS LANE AND TAU

SQUAW.

I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE TODAY

THAT THE ATTORNEY MICHAEL

FREEMAN AND I FILED A COMPLAINT

THAT CHARGED POLICE OFFICE

KING, LANE AND TAU WITH AIDING

AND ABETTING IN THE 2nd DEGREE.

I BELIEVE THIS IS JUSTICE FOR

MR. FLOYD, HIS FAMILY AND

JUSTICE?

THE STATE.

I WILL BE ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC

BUT THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A TEAM

EFFORT.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE

ATTORNEY AND THE STAFF FOR

WORKING TOGETHER FROM THE

MINUTE THE CASE STARTED.

I WANT TO THANK SUPERINTENDENT

DREW EVANS OF THE BUREAU OF

APPREHENSION AND THE SPEED AND

CARE IN WHICH THEY ARE

CONDUCTING THE INVESTIGATION,

AND I WANT TO THANK U.S.

ATTORNEY ERICA McDONALD AND THE

SPECIAL AOBJECT IN CHARGE WHO

ARE CONDUCTING A PARALLEL

COLOR OF LAW INVESTIGATION.

I HEARD DIRECTLY FROM THE

LEADERSHIP OF THE DEPARTMENT OF

JUSTICE.

THERE IS FULL SUPPORT FOR HER

LEADERSHIP AND PURSUIT OF HER

INVESTIGATION AND AS SHE PUT IT

SO WELL, ONE TEAM, ONE GOAL,

ONE MISSION.

I AGREE 100%.

AS I SAID EARLIER, I THINK MR.

FLOYD'S FAMILY, AND I CAN

SPEAK FOR MR. FREEMAN AND I,

JOINTLY THANKING THEM, ALONG

WITH THE U.S. ATTORNEY

McDONALD, WE THANK THE

COMMUNITY FOR THEIR PATIENCE IN

ALLOWING US THE TIME AND SPACE

WE NEED OVER THESE DAYS TO LAY

THESE CHARGES.

I ASK FOR CONTINUED PATIENCE IN

THIS INVESTIGATION.

WE ENCOURAGE ANYONE THAT

BELIEVES THEY HAVE EVIDENCE IN

THIS CASE TO COME FORWARD AND

BE COOPERATIVE WITH THE

INVESTIGATION.

AS WE DEVELOP A CASE FOR

PROSECUTION WHICH WILL ALSO --

WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SAY VERY

MUCH PUBLICLY ABOUT IT BECAUSE

OUR JOB IS TO SEEK JUSTICE AND

OBTAIN A CONVICTION, NOT TO

MAKE STATEMENTS IN THE PRESS,

BUT PUT OUR TALKING TO COURT.

SO, I ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE

AGAIN WHILE WE LIMIT OUR PUBLIC

COMMENTS IN PURSUIT OF

JUSTICE.

I ALSO ASK FOR YOUR TRUST THAT

WE ARE PURSUING JUSTICE BY

EVERY LEGAL AND ETHICAL MEANS

AVAILABLE TO US.

I ALSO WANT TO ADD A WORD OF

CAUTION.

THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

WE ARE FOLLOWING THE PATH OF

ALL OF THE EVIDENCE.

WHEREVER IT LEADS.

WE ARE INVESTIGATING AS QUICKLY

AS WE CAN.

SPEED IS IMPORTANT.

WE ARE ALSO INVESTIGATING AS

THOROUGHLY AS WE CAN BECAUSE

BEING COMPLETE AND THOROUGH IS

CRITICALLY IMPORTANT BUT IT

TAKES TIME.

THE REASON THURSDAYNESS IS

IMPORTANT BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE

LINK IN THE PROSECUTING CHAIN

MUST BE STRONG.

IT MUST BE STRONG BECAUSE

TRYING THIS CASE WILL NOT BE AN

EASY THING.

WINNING A CONVICTION WILL BE

HARD.

IN FACT, ATTORNEY FREEMAN IS

THE ONLY PROSECUTOR IN THE

STATE OF MINNESOTA WHO HAS

SUCCESSFULLY CONVICTED A POLICE

OFFICER FOR MURDER, AND HE CAN

TELL YOU THAT IT IS HARD.

I SAY THIS NOT BECAUSE WE DOUBT

OUR RESOURCES OR OUR ABILITY.

IN FACT, WE ARE CONFIDENT IN

WHAT WE ARE DOING.

BUT HISTORY DOES SHOW THAT

THERE ARE CLEAR CHALLENGES HERE

AND WE ARE GOING TO BE WORKING

VERY HARD AND RELYING ON EACH

OTHER AND OUR INVESTIGATIVE

PARTNERS AND THE COMMUNITY TO

SUPPORT THAT ENDEAVOR.

TO THE FLOYD FAMILY, TO OUR

BELOVED COMMUNITY, AND TO

EVERYONE THAT IS WATCHING, I

SAY GEORGE FLOYD MATTERED.

HE WAS LOVED.

HIS FAMILY WAS IMPORTANT.

HIS LIFE HAD VALUE, AND WE

WILL SEEK JUSTICE FOR HIM AND

FOR YOU.

AND WE WILL FIND IT.

THE VERY FACT THAT WE HAVE

FILED THESE CHARGES MEAN WE

BELIEVE IN THEM.

BUT WHAT I DO NOT BELIEVE IS

THAT ONE SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION

CAN RECTIFY THE HURT AND LOSS

THAT SO MANY PEOPLE FEEL.

THE SOLUTION TO THAT PAIN WILL

BE SLOW AND DIFFICULT WORK OF

CONSTRUCTING JUSTICE AND

FAIRNESS IN OUR SOCIETY.

THE THAT WORK IS THE WORK OF

ALL OF US.

WE DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR THE

RESOLUTION AND INVESTIGATION OF

THIS CASE TO START THAT WORK.

WE NEED CITIZENS, NEIGHBORS,

LEADERS IN GOVERNMENT AND IN

FAITH COMMUNITIES, CIVIL AND

CONSUME RIGHTS ACTIVISTS TO

BEGIN REWRITING THE RULES FOR A

JUST SOCIETY NOW.

WE NEED NEW POLICY AND

LEGISLATION AND WAYS OF

THINKING AT THE MUNICIPAL,

STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS, THE

WORLDS OF ART AND ENTERTAINMENT

CAN USE THEIR CULTURE INFLUENCE

TO INSPIRE CHANGE THAT WE NEED.

THERE IS A ROLE FOR ALL WHO

DREAM OF A JUSTICE THAT WE

HAVEN'T YET EXPERIENCED.

AND IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, A

PROTEST CAN SHAKE A TREE AND

CAN MAKE THE FRUIT FALL DOWN.

BUT AFTER THAT FRUIT IS IN

REACH, COLLECTING IT AND

MAKING THE JAM MUST FOLLOW.

THE DEMONSTRATIONS AND THE

PROTESTS ARE DRAMATIC AND

NECESSARY, BUT BUILDING JUST

INSTITUTIONS IS MORE OF A SLOW

GRIND, BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE TO BEGIN THAT WORK, AS

WELL.

WE NEED YOUR ENERGY AND WE NEED

EVERYONE'S HELP RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE WILL TAKE A FEW QUESTIONS.

YES, MA'AM?

[INAUDIBLE QUESTION]

WE BELIEVE WE HAVE LITERALLY

THE CHARGES THAT FIT THE FACTS

IN THIS CASE.

WE HAVE DONE SO.

SO, OUR CONCERN IS TO PUT ALL

THE ENERGY WE CAN INTO PUTTING

FORTH THE STRONGEST CASE THAT

WE CAN WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOR OF

ANYONE OR ANYTHING.

AS THESE CHARGES ARE BASED ON

THE FACTS WE HAVE FOUND, WE

WILL PURSUE THEM.

[INAUDIBLE QUESTION]

WE CONSULTED ON THESE

CHARGES, WE SIGNED A COMPLAINT

ON THESE CHARGES SO THAT IS

WHAT WE ARE DOING, SO --

THE WHOLE NATION, INDEED,

THE WHOLE WORLD HAS BEEN

WAITING FOR SOME TYPE OF

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM YOUR OFFICE.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE PROCESS

INVOLVED IN YOUR DELIBERATION,

AND WHAT IMPACT DO YOU THINK

TODAY'S DECISION MAY HAVE NOT

JUST IN MINNEAPOLIS BUT ACROSS

THE COUNTRY WATCHING YOU RIGHT

NOW?

UNFORTUNATELY I CANNOT DELVE

INTO OUR DELIBERATIVE PROCESS,

BUT I WILL SELL YOU GENERALLY

IS THAT WE GATHERED ALL THE

FACTS THAT WE COULD, WE

LOOKED AT CRIMINAL STATUES.

WE LOOKED AT CASE LAW, WE

CONSULTED WITH EACH OTHER AND

ARRIVED AT THE CHARGES

JUSTIFIED BY THE FACTS AND THE

LAW.

WHAT DOES THIS IMPACT HAVE

ON THEM, THIS DECISION?

THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE IS

ALWAYS GOOD AND RIGHT.

AND I WANT TO SIGNAL TO THEM

THAT WE HOPE THAT THEY CONTINUE

TO RAISE THE CAUSE OF JUSTICE

BUT DO IT IN A PEACEFUL MANNER.

IT IS THEIR RIGHT TO EXPRESS

THEMSELVES.

WITH THAT I WILL SAY THAT THEY

SHOULD CONTINUE IN THEIR OWN

COMMUNITIES, TO GET TOGETHER

TO BUILD JUST POLICE COMMUNITY

RELATIONSHIPS WE NEED THE FAITH

COMMUNITY TO BE INVOLVED.

WE NEED ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

TO HELP INSPIRE US TOWARD

JUSTICE.

WE NEED EVERYBODY.

THERE IS A LOT MORE TO DO THAN

JUST THIS CASE AND WE ARE

ASKING PEOPLE DO THAT.

[INAUDIBLE QUESTION]

THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT

QUESTION.

BECAUSE PART OF MY COMMENTS

WERE TO HELP SET EXPECTATIONS

IN A REALISTIC LIGHT.

YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO BE

THOROUGH THIS IS GOING TO TAKE

MONTHS.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, BUT

IT IS BETTER TO MAKE SURE THAT

WE HAVE A SOLID CASE FULLY

INVESTIGATED, RESEARCHED,

BEFORE WE GO TO TRIAL THAN TO

RUSH IT.

WE DON'T -- SO, IT WILL TAKE A

WHILE AND I CAN'T SET A

DEADLINE ON THAT.

THE FLOYD FAMILY HAD ASKED

FOR A 1st DEGREE MURDER CHARGE

AS WELL AS THEIR ATTORNEY.

YOU DECIDED TO CHARGE 2nd

DEGREE UNINTENTIONAL MURDER

WHILE COMMITTING A FELONY.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT

CHARGE MEANS, UNINTENTIONAL

MURDER, VERSUS 2nd DEGREE

INTENTIONAL MURDER, PLEASE?

WELL, ACCORDING TO

MINNESOTA LAW YOU HAVE TO HAVE

PREMEDITATION AND DELIBERATION

TO CHARGE 1st DEGREE MURDER.

2nd DEGREE MURDER YOU HAVE TO

INTEND FOR DEATH TO BE THE

RESULT.

FOR 2nd DEGREE FELONY MURDER

YOU HAVE TO INTEND THE FELONY

AND THEN THE DEATH BE THE

RESULT WITHOUT NECESSARILY

HAVING IT BE THE INTENT.

SO, THAT IS THE STATE OF THE

LAW.

THE FELONY WOULD BE WE WOULD

CONTEND THAT GEORGE FLOYD WAS

ASSAULTED AND THAT IS THE

UNDERLYING FELONY.

DO YOU EXPECT ANY PLEA DEALS

IN THIS?

OR DO YOU EXPECT ALL FOUR TO GO

TO TRIAL?

SECONDLY, WHEN WILL THE BODY

CAMERA FOOTAGE BE RELEASED

THIS.

I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA

OF WHAT THE NEGOTIATIONS OR

ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IT IS SIMPLY WAY TOO EARLY TO

BEGIN THAT CONVERSATION.

AT THIS POINT WE ARE PREPARING

TO TRY THIS CASE.

IF SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS ALONG

THE WAY, WE WILL SEE.

BUT AT THIS POINT WE DON'T HAVE

ANY PLANS IN THAT DIRECTION

CAMERA FOOTAGE?

YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING

THAT I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO

REPORT RIGHT NOW.

AT THIS TIME WE ARE FOCUSED ON

INVESTIGATING THE CASE.

I THINK AT THIS TIME I WILL

CULT WITH THE BCA AND OTHER

PARTNERS ON THE CASE AND WE

WILL COME TO A CONCLUSION ABOUT

THAT.

AGAIN, WE BELIEVE IN

TRANSPARENCY, BUT WE ALSO

BELIEVE IN A THOROUGH

INVESTIGATION MOST IMPORTANTLY.

HAVE THE THREE OFFICERS BEEN

TAKEN INTO CUSTODY?

I WILL ALLOW MR. DREW EVANS

TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS DREW EVANS.

I AM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE

MINNESOTA BUREAU OF CRIMINAL

APPREHENSION.

WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING

THE OFFICERS INTO CUSTODY.

I CAN REPORT ONE IS IN CUSTODY

NOW AND THE OTHER TWO WE ARE IN

THE PROCESS OF TAKING INTO

CUSTODY AND EXPECT THEM TO BE

THIS AFTERNOON.

[ INAUDIBLE ]

AS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

SAID, WE CAN'T SPEAK ABOUT ALL

THE DETAILS OF THE CASE OTHER

THAN WHAT IS REALLY IN THE

COMPLAINT AT THIS TIME.

I WILL TELL YOU WITH ANY

INVESTIGATION AS I TOLD YOU ALL

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, WE

HAVE TEAMS OF INVESTIGATORS

FROM THE BCA JOINTLY

INVESTIGATING THIS WITH THE

FBI, TRYING TO OBTAIN ALL

INFORMATION.

IN THIS CASE I WILL TELL YOU

THAT IS A REGULAR COURSE OF ALL

OUR INVESTIGATIONS TO ATTEMPT

INTERVIEWS WITH ALL THE

OFFICERS.

WE HAVE INTERVIEWS NUMEROUS

INDIVIDUALS IN THIS CASE AND

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE

PROVIDED AS WE REPORT IT.

[INAUDIBLE QUESTION]

I CAN SAY THAT I DID NOT

ALLOW PUBLIC PRESSURE TO IMPACT

OUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.

I WAS PREPARED TO WITHSTAND

WHATEVER CAUSE CAME.

WE MADE THESE DECISIONS BASED

ON THE FACTS WE HAVE GATHERED

SINCE THIS MATTER OCCURRED AND

MADE THE CHARGES BASED ON THE

LAW THAT WE THINK APPLIES, SO

THAT IS MY ANSWER.

[INAUDIBLE QUESTION]

IT IS GOING FINE.

IT IS GOING GREAT.

I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN

HENNEPIN COUNTY WHEN I WAS A

TRIAL LAWYER MYSELF.

I KNOW THE LAWYERS AND I

RESPECT THEM ALL AND KNOW THEM

ALL AND THINGS ARE GOING ALONG

JUST FINE.

THIS IS ANDY LEFEVRE THAT

REPRESENTS THE HENNEPIN COUNTY

DEPUTY'S OFFICE, FIRST DEPUTY.

[INAUDIBLE QUESTION]

NO, I AM GOING TO LET THE

PEOPLE WHO PROSECUTOR CASES

EVERY SINGLE DAY PROSECUTOR

THIS CASE.

NOW, IT IS TRUE THAT I HAVE

TRIED A LOT OF CASES AND I HAVE

TRIED HOMICIDE CASES, BUT ON

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE

COURTROOM.

THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO

PROSECUTOR, I AM GOING TO LET

THEM DO THAT WORK.

[INAUDIBLE QUESTION]

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT HELPS

ME ANTICIPATE WHAT SOME OF THE

ATTACKS ON OUR CASE MIGHT BE.

[INAUDIBLE QUESTION]

I SEE NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T

GET A FAIR TRIAL HERE.

THE CHARGES THAT WERE JUST

FILED, IF MY MATH IS CORRECT,

DO THE THREE OFFICERS NOW FACE

THE POTENTIAL SAME MAXIMUM

SENTENCE AS OFFICER CHAUVIN?

WELL, UM -- YES, SIR?

I APOLOGIZE IF WE HAVE

ADDRESSED THIS BEFORE, BUT

DOES YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THIS

CASE NOW PUT YOU ON THE

SIDELINES IN TERMS OF THE

LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IN WORKING

FOR POLICE REFORM LEGISLATION?

NO.

I WILL CONTINUE TO DO ALL THE

DUTIES THAT I HAVE WHICH

INVOLVE LEGISLATIVE -- WE HAVE

BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THE CIVIL

SPACE.

WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN

REPRESENTING STATE AGENCIES AND

GOVERNMENT.

I WILL CONTINUE TO SUPERVISOR

THAT AS I ALWAYS DO, BUT I

FEEL VERY CONFIDENT IN IT

BECAUSE I HAVE EXCELLENT

PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE GOING TO

BE FOCUSED ON THIS LIKE A LASER

BEAM EVERY SINGLE DAY.

COULD YOU JUST TAKE US INTO

THAT ROOM WHEN THE DECISION

BECAUSE MADE TO FILE THESE

PARTICULAR CHARGE

I FEEL A TREMENDOUS SENSE OF

WEIGHT.

I FEEL THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS

MOMENT.

I CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU I TAKE

NO JOY IN THIS.

BUT I DO FEEL A TREMENDOUS

SENSE OF DUTY AND

RESPONSIBILITY

ARE THEY GOING TO BE IN

MAXIMUM SECURITY --

I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO

THAT QUESTION.

MAYBE

I WOULD ANSWER THAT IN TERMS

OF THAT IS LEFT UP TO THE

VARIOUS SHERIFFS THAT WE WORK

WITH ON THIS.

AS THE COMMISSION NOTED THE

OTHER DAY, THEY MAKE THE

SECURITY DECISIONS AND THE BEST

PLACE FOR EVERYBODY IN LIGHT OF

EVERYTHING GOING ON RIGHT NOW

IN THE TWIN CITIES.

AGAIN, THOSE ARE DECISIONS

BASED ON THE ANALYSIS OF THE

SHERIFF AND THEY WORK CLOSELY

WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF

CORRECTIONS TO MAKE SURE THEY

HAVE EVERYBODY IN CUSTODY WHERE

THEY SHOULD BE BASED ON SAFETY

ASSESSMENTS.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE

ATTORNEY GENERAL KEITH ELLISON.

WE WILL SEE IF HE WRAPPED UP

OR WILL TAKE ANOTHER QUESTION.

I WILL SAY TO THEM THAT I

PLEDGE AND I PROMISE TO HOLD

ALL TO EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE FOR

THE BEHAVIOR THAT WE CAN PROVE

IN A COURT AND THAT IF I DON'T

CHARGE IT, IT MEANS WE DID NOT

HAVE THE FACTS TO DO THAT.

SO, I WILL SIMPLY SAY THAT AS

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE

PROFESSIONALS, THE

PROFESSIONAL PROSECUTORS, WE

ARE TAKING THAT DUTY SERIOUSLY,

AND WE ARE WORKING WITH THE

PEOPLE WHO ARE GATHERING THE

FACTS.

AND WE HAVE DONE THE WORK THAT

WE BELIEVE IS POSSIBLE,

ETHICAL AND RIGHT.

[INAUDIBLE QUESTION]

YES, LET ME BE HONEST HERE.

OUR COUNTRY HAS UNDER-

PROSECUTED THESE MATTERS IN

MINNESOTA AND THROUGHOUT THE

COUNTRY.

SO I THINK THAT TRUST AS A

RESULT IS HISTORICALLY NOT

HOLDING PEOPLE WHO ARE PUBLIC

GUARDIANS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR

BEHAVIOR IN SITUATIONS WHERE WE

SHOULD HAVE.

SO, THAT I THINK IS THE ORIGIN

OF THE TRUST PROBLEM.

BUT WE CAN'T -- WE CAN'T

CONTROL THE PAST.

ALL WE CAN DO IS TAKE THE CASE

WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US RIGHT

NOW AND DO OUR GOOD FAITH BEST

TO BRING JUSTICE TO THIS

SITUATION AND WE WILL.