WATCH: CNN Passes Question From George Floyd’s Family to Minneapolis Police Chief in Real Time
CNN became a conduit for George Floyd’s family to ask questions about his death to the Minneapolis chief of police in real-time during a Sunday night interview amid protesting and civil unrest.
As Floyd’s brother, Philonise, and family attorney Benjamin Crump spoke to CNN’s Don Lemon on Sunday night, the segment was connected to correspondent Sara Sidner as part of her coverage of protests throughout the weekend. Sidner beamed into the show while she reported Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo taking public questions, so Lemon asked Philonise if he had a question he’d like to ask.
“I want to know if he’s going to get justice for my brother and arrest all the officers and convict them,” Philonise said. After Sidner made sure she had the statement right, she filmed herself as she relayed the question to Arradondo while the Floyd family watched from their end.
Being silent or not intervening to me [means] you’re complicit. So I don’t see a level of distinction any different. So obviously, charging and those decisions will have to come through the county attorney’s office and the FBI is investigating that, but to the Floyd family, I want you to know that my decision to fire all four officers was not based on some sort of hierarchy. Mr. Floyd died in our hands and so I see that as being complicit.
When asked further questions to clarify his statement, Arradondo added that “Silence and inaction, you’re complicit. If there was one solitary voice that would have intervened, that’s what I would have hoped for…To the Floyd family, that is my response.”
As Arradondo mentioned, all four officers involved in George’s death were fired from the police department. Derek Chauvin, the officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck as he died, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter last week, though Floyd’s family has said they want to see more serious criminal charges applied to Chauvin.
After the exchange concluded, Philonise further called on Arradondo to arrest the other officers, and Sidner got emotional as she spoke about the implications of being the medium to connect the two of them.
Watch above, via CNN.
