“The lack of humanity in this disturbing video is sickening." That was Gov. Tim Walz's reaction to the death of George Floyd, who died in the hospital shortly after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck as Floyd pleaded with the cop to stop, yelling "I can't breathe." Four officers in total were responding to a report of a forgery in progress Monday night; all were fired the next day.
“George Floyd’s life mattered." That's from Mayor Jacob Frey after the officers were fired. “He was a human being and what all of us saw in that video was wrong in every sense. It was horrid ... When you hear someone call for help — especially when you’re charged with protecting and serving — you provide that help. This officer failed in the most basic human sense."
No charges have been filed in Floyd's death yet. However, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office said in a statement that prosecutors were “shocked and saddened” by what they saw in the video. They promised a “thorough, expedited review” for possible charges once the investigation ends. The FBI is investigating, too.
And in coronavirus news, the pandemic is hampering voter registration and possibly shifting the electorate. Via NPR: "No door to door canvassing. Public gatherings are canceled. Motor vehicle offices are closed. Naturalization ceremonies are on hiatus. Almost every place where Americans usually register to vote has been out of reach since March and it's led to a big drop in new registrations right before a presidential election that was expected to see record turnout . The consequences of that decline could reshape the electorate ahead of the November election, although it's not yet clear how."
