Murderer Of George Floyd On Trial
I live within a walking distance from a strip mall that houses, among other shops, a bank and a grocery store both of which I used to frequent.
Years ago, I went to the bank and withdrew several hundred dollars. Immediately after, I remembered that I could use some groceries and went to the grocery store. At the cash register, the clerk told me that the $100 bill I’m paying with is counterfeit. (In the interest of full disclosure, I’m not African American or a man. Also, the grocery store’s staff knew me as a frequent shopper.) I told the cashier that I just withdrew the $100 bill from the bank next door. The cashier advised me to return the bill to the bank which I did. The teller carefully examined the $100 bill and then apologized and replaced the bill. I went back to the grocery store and paid for my groceries with the replaced $100 bill. I can’t help but think of this incident from years ago every time there’s a mention of George Floyd’s name.
No one called the authorities when I paid with a counterfeit bill. I wasn’t arrested, thrown to the ground or killed. George Floyd was, over a $20 dollar bill. Until George Floyd, I didn’t even know the process of apprehending and punishing people for knowingly – or UNKNOWINGLY! – using counterfeit money.
I learned from my experience that I can’t tell the difference between a legitimate $100 bill and a good fake. Does everybody? Who would knowingly use counterfeit bills?! Surely not the counterfeiter! Who is being prosecuted? The unaware user – not maker! – of fake money.
Had my neighborhood grocery store called the police and I was charged… I’d be prosecuted for a mistake made by my bank!!! Scary, isn’t it?!
I didn’t know George Floyd. I have no way of knowing whether he knew – or didn’t know – that his $20 bill was counterfeit. No one will ever know for sure how healthy or unhealthy George was; whether or not he carried and ingested illegal drugs at the time of his arrest.
Taking it all together: neither a fake $20, nor health status, nor drug possession justify a public execution of a suspect by the arresting police officer.
On a different note, what do we do when someone next to us communicates a health problem? If possible, we either try to help or summon 911, ASAP.
Other circumstances aside, George Floyd said “I can’t breathe” twenty seven times while Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck. “I can’t breathe” communicates a life or death emergency. The statement didn’t affect the officer in any way, TWENTY SEVEN TIMES. Derek Chauvin knowingly and deliberately committed murder.
He should be stripped of any benefits and / or protections usually afforded police officers. A man unable to understand pleas for help can’t provide help to anyone. Imagine Derek Chauvin rendering help in an emergency: robbery, rape or domestic dispute. He would be unmoved by anyone’s suffering and either let everybody die or cause unnecessary deaths.
Derek Chauvin is neither human nor humane.
He is a danger to society. Derek Chauvin should be convicted not only of murder, but – since he committed a murder while on duty as a police officer! – a blatant abuse of power.
Photo by Emiliano Bar on Unsplash
