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Body camera footage taken at the scene of George Floyd’s death on May 25 was released to journalists and other members of the public on Monday. The release was ordered by the judge overseeing the cases against four former police officers charged in Floyd’s death.  

The more than hour of footage was captured by body cameras worn by former officers J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane, who first arrived on the scene. 

The body camera footage was introduced into evidence along with a motion to dismiss charges against Lane. The former officers’ attorneys and a coalition of media organizations, including MPR News, argued in court that the body camera videos in evidence should be more widely available to the public. Prosecutors expressed concern that releasing the footage might make it difficult to give the officers a fair trial. 

The decision by the judge comes after British tabloid The Daily Mail

 of the body camera footage last week. The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the leak. 

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The body camera footage shows a manager at a corner store in south Minneapolis telling officers about a counterfeit $20 bill they received, then pointing out Floyd in a vehicle across the street. Lane confronts Floyd, who is seated in the vehicle’s driver seat. Lane unholsters his gun and points it at Floyd moments after tapping on the window of the vehicle to get his attention.

Floyd asks what he did, and begs Lane not to shoot him. Lane responds that he isn’t going to shoot him, and repeatedly asks to see Floyd’s hands and then demands that Floyd get out of the vehicle. 

Officers handcuff Floyd and struggle to get him into the back of a squad. Floyd asks the officers not to put him in the squad, protesting that he’s got “anxiety” and is “claustrophobic.” Floyd resists when officers try to force him into the vehicle. 

Then-officer Derek Chauvin arrives and helps put Floyd on the ground. Chauvin kneels on Floyd’s neck for about nine and a half minutes, including for about one minute after paramedics arrive. Bystanders beg Chauvin to let Floyd up and warn that he’s killing Floyd. Paramedics arrive and officers help load Floyd onto a gurney. Lane gets in the ambulance with Floyd and the paramedics and assists in Floyd’s treatment a couple blocks away from the growing crowd at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue. 

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Floyd was declared dead at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis at 9:25 p.m., according to the report from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner. 

All four officers involved were fired from the Minneapolis Police Department. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death. Lane, Kueng and former officer Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter. The trial is set to start in March. 

Crime, Law and Justice

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The murder of George Floyd

Jon Collins

Author

Journalists and other members of the public on Monday received copies of officer body camera footage taken at the scene of George Floyd’s death in May. The release was ordered by the judge overseeing the cases against four former police officers charged in Floyd’s death.

Floyd bodycam video released to public

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