According to a report by IANS a Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced on Wednesday that Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder, an enhanced charge from the previous one of third-degree murder and manslaughter. The second-degree murder charges say that Chauvin killed Floyd 'without any intent' in the course of committing assault in the third degree.
Ellison said in the report, "I believe the evidence available to us now supports the stronger charge of second-degree murder."
Forty-four-year-old Chauvin was an experienced police officer who was in the force for the past 19 years and according to a report by Associated Press had medals for bravery. He had initially trained as a cook and served in the Army as a military police officer. But he also had 17 previous complaints against him including one in which he was accused of pulling a woman out of her car during a speeding stop.
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The three other cops Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng who helped Chauvin in restraining Floyd and Tou Thau who was seen standing by without stopping the crime have been charged with aiding and abetting murder. Thau also has 6 previous complaints against him. Lane and Kueng were relatively new to the police department.
"I strongly believe that these developments are in the interests of justice for George Floyd, his family, our community and our state," said Ellison regarding the action taken against the police officers.
He also said during the press conference that "what I do not believe is that one successful prosecution can rectify the hurt and loss that so many people feel."