Officer Body-Cam Footage of George Floyd Incident Released
Police body camera footage of George Floyd’s arrest was made public in a limited fashion Wednesday.
Following a ruling by Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill, videos from the cameras worn by former officers J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane were made available by appointment only.
The videos could only be watched on the court’s computers, and those who viewed the footage were not allowed to share it, according to KMSP-TV.
Lane, Kueng and fellow fired officer Tou Thao have been charged with aiding and abetting former officer Derek Chauvin, who put his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes and faces a charge of second-degree murder.
Earl Gray, Lane’s attorney, has said the full footage would show Floyd “actively resisting and acting erratic,” according to Fox News.
CNN reported that the footage released Wednesday showed Lane, after rapping on the window of Floyd’s car with a flashlight, yelling “Put your f—ing hands up right now!”
The officers appeared to be struggling to handcuff Floyd, and then to put him in the back of a squad car, the footage reportedly reveals.
During the struggle to get Floyd into a police car, he began to say, “I can’t breathe,” according to CNN.
The video showed that Floyd, however, did not remain in the car, but fell out and onto the ground. Floyd was reportedly on the ground when Chauvin arrived and was seen putting his knee on Floyd’s neck.
In the video, Floyd “appears upset and scared,” according to KMSP. “He seemed to have worked himself up and complains of breathing issues before going to the ground. The officers seem convinced from the start that he is under the influence of something.”
The Star Tribune, meanwhile, reported that the incident began when Lane tapped the window of the van Floyd was in with his flashlight.
“Let me see your hands,” Lane said. The officer reportedly continued to ask to see Floyd’s hands and pulled out his gun.
After about two minutes in which Lane continued to order Floyd to show his hands, Floyd’s hands were seen on the steering wheel of the vehicle, the Star Tribune reported.
“About 2 minutes and 37 seconds into Lane’s video, Lane placed his left hand on Floyd’s hands and his right hand on Floyd’s back inside the car and tugged on him slightly. Floyd was in tears,” the outlet reported.
“OK, Mr. Officer, please don’t shoot me,” Floyd said. “Please, man.”
“I’m not going to shoot you,” Lane said. “Step out and face away.”
The video reportedly showed Kueng telling Floyd why police were at the scene.
“We’re here because it sounds like you gave a fake bill to the individuals in there,” Kueng said.
“Yeah,” Floyd responded.
Kueng said police had him leave the vehicle because he “was not listening to anything we told you.”
According to the Star Tribune’s account of the footage, Floyd’s final words were: “I cannot breathe. I cannot breathe. Ah! They killed me. They killed me. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. Oh! Ah! Ah! Please, please, please.”
“I think he’s passing out,” Lane said shortly afterward.
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