TCC4J statement on court hearing for George Floyd’s murderers

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Twin Cities Coalition 4 Justice 4 Jamar.

We are here today, outside this barricaded courthouse, because the four murderers who choked the life out of George Floyd are trying to escape justice, even after the world witnessed their crimes. Unfortunately, we have to be here protesting and bearing witness at these hearings, because the whole damn system IS guilty as hell, and we cannot expect justice unless we are pushing every step of the way.

The Twin Cities Coalition 4 Justice 4 Jamar would like to express our love and respect for George Floyd’s family. We salute the brave family members who have spoken out. We also send healing strength to those who are still deep in the shadows of grief. We love you. We support you. We got your back!

As for the proceedings today, we are not lawyers and can’t get into the lawyers’ heads — but we must ensure that these four killers are convicted and imprisoned for murder, by any means necessary!

Our opinions on some of the motions today:

-- All four defendants have filed motions to dismiss their charges. Some, in a sickening twist, are trying to blame Mr. Floyd for his own death. We, the city, the state, country and the WORLD will not stand for that. NO to dismissing the charges of these killer cops!

-- All four defendants have filed for change of venue – out of the county where they perpetrated these murderous acts and where some of them have inflicted brutality for years. They say they got “negative publicity” here in the Twin Cities. This is nothing but a racist dog-whistle that hopes a whiter, more conservative community will be more sympathetic to these murderous cops. But the whole world saw what they did to Mr. Floyd, and the whole world is outraged. We demand that these trials stay here, where they have to face the wrath of the communities they have terrorized!

—As for the upward sentencing guidelines called for by the prosecution – bring it on. Black, brown and indigenous people have endured systematic attempts to destroy our families and communities by the imposition of ridiculous sentences, forfeitures, high bails, and long stays in jail for small infractions. Actual murdering cops should be actually prosecuted.

-- The prosecution has a motion to try all these cases as one. The cops’ lawyers are against it. We are not legal experts, but we know what the world saw. All four conspired to choke the life out of George Floyd. Together, they crushed not just his neck, but his back, his legs. They pushed back and threatened people who were trying to save Mr. Floyd’s life. They should ALL go to prison – together or separately – whatever it takes.

There are a lot of things our communities need – beyond this courtroom – to get justice. TCC4J is fighting for CPAC – a CIVILIAN Police Accountability Council, to get community control of the police. If we had that, these killer cops would not even be on the force. New recruits would NOT be trained to kill, maim and brutalize as a first resort. Bystanders would have been empowered to step in and save Mr. Floyd’s life, without fear of being killed themselves.

TCC4J, along with the rest of the nation and the world, will be watching these court proceedings. George Floyd’s murderers and all other violent officers should not escape justice like the many other officers before them. Minneapolis must set a new precedent for our state and country where police are no longer above the law. Justice must be served in this case if we’re to have a future where we can exist in our neighborhoods without fear of police brutality. This is not a future we’re requesting; it’s a future we demand. We know that true justice will not be delivered by this “injustice” system. It can only be given to us via the power of the people and community control of the police.

Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail! The whole damn system is guilty as hell!

#MinneapolisSaintPaul #AfricanAmerican #CivilianPoliceAccountabilityCouncil #GeorgeFloyd #TwinCitiesCoalition4Justice4Jamar