Page 36 - Florida Sentinel 6-5-20

Crime
3 More Cops Charged In George Floyd Death, Other Officer's Murder Charge Upgraded
More Than 100 Arrested By TPD And Sheriff During Protest On Numerous Charges
Three former Minneapo- lis police officers will be crim- inally charged Wednesday in connection with the death of George Floyd, Sen. Amy Klobuchar wrote in a post on Twitter.
In addition, Derek Chauvin, a former officer who had already been charged with third-degree murder in the case, will now be charged with second-de- gree murder, the Minnesota Democrat wrote.
Klobuchar did not detail the charges that Minnesota Attorney General Keith Elli- son plans to file against the three other ex-cops: Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane. All four officers were fired last week after the arrest.
But a local newspaper, the Star Tribune, earlier said the trio will be charged with aid- ing and abetting second-de- gree murder, citing sources.
The ex-cops had assisted Chauvin in arresting Floyd on Memorial Day on the sus-
DEREK CHAUVIN
picion that Floyd passed a counterfeit bill.
Chauvin, who is white, was charged on Friday with third-degree murder and sec- ond-degree manslaughter after video footage emerged showing him kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd, a black man, lay handcuffed, crying out that he could not breathe.
The video shows that Chauvin continued to keep his knee on Floyd's neck even after Floyd became nonresponsive. Floyd's
death has sparked wide- spread protests against police violence in dozens of cities across the country.
Two Men Indicted For Setting ATMS Afire
MAWDO MALICK SALLAH
KIRK DOUGLAS JOHNSON
Two men have been in- dicted in connection with a se- ries of ATM arsons. They are both charged with one count of conspiring to commit arson; three counts of arson, two counts of using a fire or explo- sive to commit a federal felony, and two counts of bank lar- ceny.
If convicted on all charges, they each face up to life in fed- eral prison. Mawdo Malick Sallah, 33, of Clearwater, and Kirk Douglas Johnson, 34, of Anderson, South Carolina are accused of using fire and explosive on four separate oc- casions to remove cash from ATM machines between No- vember 2019 and March 2020. Three of the offenses took place in the Tampa Bay area and the fourth occurred in Watkinsville, Georgia.
Officials said the men, who successfully removed $70,000 from two of the machines, were arrested March 22, 2020, after setting off an explosion at the ATM in Watkinsville, Georgia.
Both the City of Tampa Police Department and the Hillsborough County Sher- iff’s Office arrested more than 100 people last weekend on numerous charges when local protesters joined the nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police.
Law enforcement locally labeled the arrests civil un- rest. According to records re- leased, one individual, was charged by both agencies. Tampa Police charged a 24- year-old with trespassing and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office charged him with battery on a law en- forcement officer and bur- glary.
Those arrested are facing several charges, including burglary, grand theft, resist- ing arrest, burglary of a structure during an emer- gency, armed burglary of a structure, and carrying a con- cealed firearm, among oth- ers.
On Sunday night, more than 300 people gathered in in the parking lot of Univer- sity Square Mall on East
Fowler Avenue. This led Hillsborough County Sher- iff Chad Chronister to issue a call for help from all available officers. Law en- forcement from 11 surround- ing counties responded.
Sheriff Chronister
said, “While we support everyone’s right to assemble, rioting, looting, and vandal- izing is unacceptable. We will be on the streets as long as needed in order to keep the protesters and those around them safe.
However, we are asking that everyone respect their fellow citizens and the prop- erty of others. Anything else is unacceptable.”
The Tampa Police De- partment arrested the major- ity of those jailed, approximately 30 people. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested a total of 10 people, including a juvenile, over the weekend.
During Tuesday night’s protests, more 65 people were arrested after they re- fused to disband around midnight. More than 200 protesters left when asked to disband.
FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2020 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY PAGE 21-A