The police officer who kneeled on George Floyd’s neck has been allowed to leave the state of Minnesota. On Oct. 9, a judge in Hennepin County, Minnesota ruled that Derek Chauvin could leave the state as he awaits trial, according to StarTribune.
Citing “safety concerns,” Chauvin will be able to travel until his proposed court date in March 2021.
On Oct. 8, Chauvin was released from Hennepin County jail on a $1 million bond.
The conditions of his bond include that he does not have any contact with Floyd’s family, that he does not work in law enforcement or security, and that he surrender any firearms and licenses to carry.
On May 25, bodycam footage revealed that officers were aggressive with Floyd when the incident began.
Floyd stared down the barrel of a police officer’s gun moments before he was killed. Bodycam footage showed an officer pointing his service weapon at Floyd, who was questioned by Thomas Lane after a store clerk called 911 about an alleged counterfeit $20 bill.
Derek Chauvin restrained Floyd and knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes, according to newly released footage.
The bodycam footage also revealed that the EMT medics did not rush to assist Floyd after taking his pulse, and it took them three minutes to perform CPR. At that point, Floyd had been unresponsive for seven minutes. He eventually was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Chauvin’s lawyer, Eric Nelson, claims that the other three defendants could conspire to imply Chauvin is guilty of the third-degree murder charges, but not the other charges. As a result, that would help the other officers to avoid conviction since they’re not charged as accomplices in that count.
Floyd’s death sparked worldwide protests against police brutality and racial inequality. Some top-notch companies and major brands also made it a point to embrace diversity in hiring practices and to give to charity.
