Minnesota News Network

Calls to action at George Floyd memorial service in Minneapolis

There were prayers and memories from family members at this afternoon’s memorial service in Minneapolis for George Floyd, but also a call to action from the Reverend Al Sharpton, who says there’s a difference between those calling for peace, and those calling for quiet. “Some of you all don’t want peace, you just want quiet,” he said. “You just want us to shut up and suffer in silence. The overwhelming majority of the people [who] march wasn’t breaking windows, they were trying to break barriers.”

Floyd’s youngest brother, Rodney, told the audience his brother “would stand up for his family and friends, and he’s great at that, and I want you guys to know that he would stand up for any injustice everywhere.”

The family’s attorney, Benjamin Crump, echoed the call for action, telling the cheering audience, “Do not cooperate with evil! Protest against evil! Join the young people in the streets protesting against the evil, the inhumane, the torture that they witnessed on that video!”

Another memorial service is Saturday afternoon in North Carolina, where Floyd was born. Floyd’s funeral is in Houston next Tuesday.

At end of the service, the audience stood in silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds — the time George Floyd was on the ground.

All police officers involved in George Floyd’s death now charged

Attorney General Keith Ellison says ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is now charged with second-degree murder in the death of George Floyd.  He was initially arrested for third-degree murder.  Ellison said the evidence against Chauvin supported stronger charges in the case.  Three other Minneapolis police officers involved in the death of Floyd are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter.  Former Officers Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao were there when Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes until he lost consciousness.  The criminal complaint says Lane asked Chauvin twice “should we roll him on his side?” while he was restraining Floyd.  A-G Ellison is asking for continued patience as the investigation continues.

In addition, the state Human Rights Department has launched a civil rights investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). The investigation was prompted by the death of  Floyd. The investigation will cover the past decade to determine if M-P-D has engaged in systemic discrimination toward people of color.  “It’s the opportunity for the state of Minnesota to look at a broad range of practices of the Police Department and to force changes on the police department in a way that will prevent future violations.”  Former U-S Attorney for Minnesota Thomas Heffelfinger says ultimately, the state could bring a lawsuit against the city of Minneapolis seeking a court order forcing the city to change its policies and procedures.

U of M trial: hydroxychloroquine has no benefit over a placebo in COVID-19 prevention (AUDIO)

The University of Minnesota Medical School researchers today published the results from the first randomized clinical trial testing hydroxychloroquine versus a placebo for the post-exposure prevention of COVID-19. The study’s Dr. David Boulware says “what the trial showed is unfortunately that the hydroxychloroquine did not have a preventative effect and so that was basically about 12% of the people with hydroxychloroquine got COVID and 14% in the placebo group and that was not a statistical difference.” The study showed 40-percent of trial participants taking hydroxychloroquine developed non-serious side effects-—mainly nausea and upset stomach or diarrhea. The drug was tested in a double-blind trial, meaning that neither the participants nor the researchers knew what the participants received. Here’s more with Dr. Boulware:

 

Mother of George Floyd’s daughter speaks at Minneapolis City Hall

Roxie Washington, the mother of George Floyd’s daughter, choked back tears at Minneapolis City Hall Tuesday afternoon as she told reporters that Minneapolis officers involved in Floyd’s death “get to go home and be with their families” but six-year-old Gianna does not have a father. “He will never see her grow up, graduate. He will never walk her down the aisle. If there’s a problem she’s having and she needs a dad, she does not have that any more,” Washington said.

Retired N-B-A player Stephen Jackson, Floyd’s childhood friend, consoled Washington — saying he’ll be there to wipe her tears and those of her daughter.

State launches human rights investigation of Minneapolis Police Department

In a first-ever in Minnesota history, the state Human Rights Department has launched an investigation of the entire Minneapolis Police Department, prompted by the police killing of George Floyd. Governor Tim Walz contends the state’s pain “will not go away with tough talk and more people on the streets in uniform. It will go away with the sense of community you see being displayed upon the State Capitol lawn today, with law enforcement and the people that they serve seeing themselves as neighbor[s] in the same society and the same opportunities for their children.”

The governor says the investigation going back 10 years will determine if M-P-D has engaged in systemic discrimination toward people of color and ensure such practices are stopped. Walz notes Minnesota has one of the strongest civil rights laws in the country.

Democratic caucus-of-color outlines plans to combat police brutality

Modify laws on police use-of-force and increase penalties for violations — a key element of broad-ranging legislation being introduced by a group of Democratic lawmakers-of-color in the Minnesota House. It would make it an officer’s legal duty to intervene if a fellow officer wrongfully uses force, so-called “warrior training” would be prohibited, and oversight of officer licensing and training would be increased. And the attorney general’s office would be the primary investigator and prosecutor of officer-involved deaths, instead of local jurisdictions.

Representative Carlos Mariani from Saint Paul says it rises to “the highest level of responsibility” for lawmakers to act in the quickly-approaching special session. “There are no other issues more important than the public safety and well-being of Minnesotans, of our communities,” he says.

Backers say among many other measures, the legislation would also ensure independence of medical examiners.

22 more Minnesotans die from COVID-19, total at 1,072

22 more Minnesotans have died from COVID-19. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is reporting that as of today 1072 Minnesotans have died from coronavirus. More than 25,500 cases have been confirmed in the state–up 310 from yesterday. 537 people remained hospitalized with COVID-19 and 248 are in intensive care. Click here for more information from the MDH.

Protestors, activists continue to call for justice for George Floyd; Gov Walz says he’s listening

Thousands gathered in front of the governor’s residence in St. Paul late Monday afternoon to demand justice for George Floyd. Governor Tim Walz was at the rally but said it was not his place to speak, he was there to listen. Walz “I can hear the pain in a large group of people and amongst the families, they don’t trust a system that doesn’ serve them and they deserve to be heard…I’ve been given the responsibility of being governor and they expect change and that’s what I’m here to listen to.” Walz went on to say “I can give them the assurance that I can do everything in my power and I think that’s the thing in the system we need to make sure, but they don’t want to hear about that and so that’s my job to use the skills I have and the authority I have to get that done.” Activists are offering criticism of the police and voicing strong concerns about Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman and Attorney General Keith Ellison’s ability to prosecute the officers involved in Floyd’s death. They’re calling for an independent prosecutor in the case.

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Democratic caucus-of-color outlines plans to combat police brutality

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Modify laws on police use-of-force and increase penalties for violations — a key element of broad-ranging legislation being introduced by a group of Democratic lawmakers-of-color in the Minnesota House. It would make it an officer’s legal duty to intervene if a fellow officer wrongfully uses force, so-called “warrior training” would be prohibited, and oversight of […]

22 more Minnesotans die from COVID-19, total at 1,072

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22 more Minnesotans have died from COVID-19. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is reporting that as of today 1072 Minnesotans have died from coronavirus. More than 25,500 cases have been confirmed in the state–up 310 from yesterday. 537 people remained hospitalized with COVID-19 and 248 are in intensive care. Click here for more information […]

Big Ten commissioner Warren creates coalition on racism

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The Big Ten’s Kevin Warren, the first black commissioner of a Power Five conference, is creating a coalition to give the league’s athletes a platform to voice their concerns about racism. with athletes, coaches, athletic director and university chancellors and presidents. Warren said the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis while being detained by police […]

Authorities say tanker-truck driver plowing into Mpls protesters not intentional

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Investigators say there’s no indication it was intentional when a tanker-truck drove into a group of protesters on the I-35W bridge Sunday afternoon — and authorities call it a miracle there are no reported injuries. State Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington says the driver — a 35-year-old man from Otsego — was speeding, saw the […]

Natl Guard fully mobilized, Walz warns innocent citizens out tonight in Mpls and St. Paul will be “swept up in this”

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Governor Tim Walz has ordered the largest National Guard deployment in Minnesota history as Minneapolis and Saint Paul brace for another night of riots, following continued destruction Friday night and Saturday morning that overwhelmed law enforcement’s capability to respond. The governor estimates 80 percent of those acting violently are from outside Minnesota. Minnesota National Guard […]

Gopher women’s hockey player working hard (AUDIO)

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(Lake City, MN) — Golden Gopher women’s hockey standout Taylor Heise just finished her sophomore year of school by distance learning from her family’s Lake City home. She says it was stressful at times, but she also enjoyed her mother’s home cooking and spending time with her dad and two brothers, as well. She is […]