Prosecutor Cracks Blue Wall of Silence on Floyd's Accused Killer

摘要

Prosecutors led by Minnesota Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank are cracking the Blue Wall of Silence in the trial of George Floyd's accused killer, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Chauvin kneeled on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, which was "totally unnecessary," Minneapolis Police Department Lt. Richard Zimmerman said Friday when being questioned by Frank. "Holding him down to the ground face down and putting your knee on the neck for that amount of time is just uncalled for," said Zimmerman, a homicide investigator called to the scene. "I saw no reason why the officers felt they were in danger." Frank's questioning of Zimmerman came as the state mounted its case against Chauvin's use of force against Floyd, a central theme throughout the murder trial. The prosecution has used police officers and even paramedics and a firefighter to argue Chauvin violated department standards for using force when detaining Floyd. Retired Sgt. David Pleoger, who was Chauvin's shift supervisor at the time, testified Thursday that officers should have eased up on Floyd once he was restrained and provided necessary medical attention. Prosecutors said they also plan to call Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo.