The documentarians obviously had access to the body cam footage of officers on scene, yet it cuts off the moment the officer (Chauven) has his knee on the detainees neck. There are several scenes early in the encounter, where we are shown body cam footage of the officers backs who are in direct contact with George Floyd, but can not see what they are doing as he states repeatedly he can not breathe. Why not show us the body cam footage of officers in direct contact while George Floyd is still half way in patrol car.
There are 3 contributing factors towards his death in initial coroners report, the 3rd being described as "exertion caused by Mr Floyds encounter with the police officers". Sure, anyone who saw the 10 + min long viral footage captured on some member of the publics mobile phone, can testify to that.
I found it sickening that the police were painted as the victims here. Their criminal malpractice sparked the riot. This sort of police brutality is common place, and there are many other videos on line. Futher to this, the vast quantity of police brutality happens, behind closed doors. In police cells and alike, away from prying eyes. Many other people who have lived to tell the tale also carry the burden of this type of corrupt policing. What happened here struck a chord with a lot of people, which inevitably was the reason the incident sparked a mass uprising. Decisions were made to stand back from the rioters, as they wanted to minimise any further potential of loss of life. A wise tactic.
To try and blame drug toxicity for the detainees death is also a sick defence. The footage captured by the public showed what happened to George Floyd in this instance, and that is why the officers responsible were sent to jail. For lessons to be learnt, the system has to admit its guilt, so things like this can not be repeated in the future. Unfortunately I do not see this happening here, and the whole documentary aims to diminish responsibility, and stand in the defence of police brutality and violence.
They use his under lying health conditions and drug use, as reasons to deny what evidently happened as the viral video showed. Physically George Floyd looked in fair shape, and with out doubt he would still be alive to day if the officer did not illegaly place his knee on the detainees neck for a sustained period of time, until he ultimately killed George Floyd. It is easy to pick events and facts when dealing with a criminal, to admonish the police of any wrong doing, and avoid taking responsibility. This is the case here. The detainee was very vocal about his concern that he couldn't breathe, and even bystanders tried to put the belligerent officer in line, and stop him from blocking Georges air way: to no avail! He didn't care, and he thought he had the right to kill him and nothing would come of it.
Violence begets violence, and the documentary is quick to point out criminals have killed cops. 2 wrongs will never make a right, and if this attitude prevails, police will continue to be put at higher risk of danger. The only person who can hand out a death sentence is a judge in certain jurisdictions, and despite George Floyds fallibility's, this would not have been on the cards here if the convicted officer hadn't taken the law in to his own hands. Handing in monopoly money at a shop is not a capital punishment effence.
It is well known that police coalesce with coroners to fake death certificates as routine, but this was unachievable in this case, in light of the video evidence which had already gone viral. Check out the "excited delirium" verdict for example, which is a cause of death which only ever gets recorded when there is a death in police custody. A phantom condition, and the cause of much controversy. Police and the state cover up these things, as it is bad for PR, and they desperately need the general public to support them which is apparent from what transpired. The police will do anything to avoid being pictured a perpetrators of crime, as there whole exsistance is dependent on that image. A Violent response is not the answer to every dilemma.
The Maximal Restraint technique, does not involve kneeing on some ones neck for good reason, period. Where is this lengthy video which circulated online? They keep referring to a still photo in the docu as if it doesnt exist, where as this video contains at least 10 min of every graphic detail. It is the one vital piece of evidence this documentary fails to produce. It shows a drawn image from a training manual for MRT, where a knee is placed between someones shoulder blades, not the detainees neck, claiming threy were trained to kill people by kneeing on their neck. It is completely biased, and immorally and unforgivably so.
With out admitting wrong doing, one gets the ominous feeling that history is doomed to repeat itself. Maybe in the not too distant future. This was an opportunity to learn and change things for the better, and we can only hope this is realised in full.
The city paid out $27 million to George Floyds family as a result of the viral videos, yet this documenatry team find that the police did nothing wrong. Anyone else see anything wrong here? Some kind of Trump conspiracy theory fable.
The idea that Black Lives Matter is to blame for Chauvins 19.5 years sentence, is lifting the mask of the right wing racist agenda the documentary supports. They want to void accountability and responsibility: do not let them! Chauvins defiance shown in the interview from his prison cell, should be enough to extend his sentence, as he has clearly has not learnt his lesson yet. Look at the harm he caused, not only to Floyd and his family, but to his country. To much to shoulder perhaps? In survival mode shirking responsibility?
They have various interviewees coming on stating that 2 of the 4 officers were from ethnic backgrounds (one is Asian, other mixed race). Well Chauvin who killed him certainly wasn't black. It does not need to be a racist killing neither, but the cover-up of these similar like incidents in abundance, and the right wing agenda media response inherent in this documentary certainly is.
Losing public confidence has consequences. A lot of police left their jobs after this, and its a good thing. They knew they couldn't get off with what they were doing anymore and suffered a guilty conscience for once. Best thing to do is clean the ranks, and make way for new socially responsible police officers of the future. Police should no longer have immunity from prosecution.
One female lieutenant police officer states, "I saw the video (the one they do not show), a lot of angles were excluded". The viral video was one long shot of the incident from every angle, where police were surrounded by members of the public begging for Chauvin not to kill the guy.
Documentary keeps going on about the truth. This docu team wouldn't know the truth if is fell out of the sky and slapped them across the face.
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