Justine Damond’s fiance to attend George Floyd’s funeral, accused cop Derek Chauvin faces court
The fiance of Australian woman Justine Damond, who was shot and killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, says the death of George Floyd has “sliced open” his pain over her murder.
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The fiance of Australian woman Justine Damond, who was shot and killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, is set to attend the funeral of George Floyd in his hometown of Houston overnight.
Don Damond said he wanted to comfort the partner and daughter of Floyd, who died after fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground by putting his knee on the unarmed black man’s neck.
Mr Damond called for an overhaul of the controversial police force, three years after 40-year-old Justine, from Sydney’s northern beaches, was shot dead outside her home by disgaved Mineneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor, who was tried and found guilty of her murder.
“I’m sad, angry, so disappointed and I just really want to put my arms, maybe figuratively, around Roxy and her daughter,” Mr Damond told Seven News at Minneapolis Airport before boarding a plane to Houston.
“This really sliced open something that you hope will heal - Mohamed Noor was sentenced a year ago.
“I feel like it’s time to be a voice for that change. What’s happening in this city with defund (the police), disband, whatever word you choose, it’s pointing to the fact something has to change.”
Justine Damond called 911 in 2017 after hearing a woman’s screams behind her home. When she approached Noor’s vehicle he shot her dead, claiming he thought he was being ambushed.
KKK LEADER DRIVES INTO PROTESTERS
An American man who allegedly drove his car through a group of protesters is an “admitted leader of the Ku Klux Klan and a propagandist for Confederate ideology,” prosecutors say.
Witnesses say Harry Rogers, 36, “revved his engine” and sped up before driving onto the median strip and into a crowd of Black Lives Matters protesters in Virginia on the weekend, according to WTVR.
No one was seriously injured, and Rogers was arrested by police.
Prosecutors said in court on Monday (local time) that Rogers told arresting officers that he was the president of the Ku Klux Klan in Virginia.
“The accused, by his own admission and by a cursory glance at social media, is an admitted leader of the Ku Klux Klan and a propagandist for Confederate ideology,” Henrico County Commonwealth’s lawyer Shannon Taylor said in a statement released after court, according to WTVR.
“We are investigating whether hate crimes charges are appropriate.”
Taylor labelled Rogers’ act “heinous and despicable”.
“We will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” she said.
“We lived through this in Virginia in Charlottesville in 2017. I promise Henricoans that this egregious criminal act will not go unpunished. Hate has no place here under my watch.”
MASSIVE BAIL SET FOR COP IN GEORGE FLOYD MURDER CASE
The white ex-cop charged with murder in African-American George Floyd’s death was ordered to be held on $A1.8 million bail in his first court appearance since being arrested.
Former cop Derek Chauvin appeared before Judge Jeannice Reding at the Hennepin County District Court early today AEST via video link from Oak Park Heights Prison.
His bail was set at $A1.8m with no conditions and $A1.5m with conditions that include no police or law enforcement work.
Under these conditions, Chauvin would also have to surrender his firearms or ammunition, his firearm permit and would not be allowed to leave Minnesota or have contact with George Floyd’s family.
The defence did not object to the prosecutor’s bail proposal.
Chauvin was handcuffed in an orange jail house jumpsuit with a white T-shirt and stated his name and address.
He also answered several questions from the judge including that he still has guns at his property.
The ex-officer only appeared in court for 11 minutes and will next appear on June 29.
Chauvin, 44, is charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the May 25 death of Floyd, who died after being pinned down by the cop’s knee for nearly nine minutes while pleading repeatedly, “I can’t breathe”.
Floyd’s death, caught on viral video, has sparked worldwide outrage and massive demonstrations calling for justice racial equality across the US and in dozens of countries on five continents.
Chauvin was initially charged with third-degree murder, but the charges were upgraded after an outcry from Floyd’s family and other supporters.
The three other officers involved in the incident — Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao — are charged with aiding and abetting.
Chauvin faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted.
All four cops were fired by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey the day after the incident, and Chauvin was arrested the day after that.
Chauvin, a 19-year veteran of the Minneapolis department, has been the subject of more than a dozen complaints over his career.
His arraignment came as a memorial and funeral services for Floyd were held in his hometown of Houston.
‘I’M NOT WITH THEM’, BIDEN SAYS OF ‘POLICE-FREE USA’ ADVOCATES
Presidential candidate Joe Biden has been forced to quickly distance himself from fellow Democrats in the US calling for police departments to be “de-funded” and “dismantled”.
Some far-left Democrats have advocated a “police-free America” to appease Black Lives Matter protesters – potentially creating a nightmare “law and order” showdown for Mr Biden with President Donald Trump in the lead up to the November presidential election.
The President of the Minneapolis City Council, Lisa Bender, even said people who expect to be able to call police when their home is broken into come from “a place of privilege”.
A majority of members of her council have said they will move to “dismantle” the city’s police department – a move opposed by its Mayor Jacob Frey.
Interviewed on CNN, Cr Lisa Bender was asked who someone would call for help in a “police-free” society if their home was broken into in the middle of the night.
“I hear that loud and clear from a lot of my neighbours,” Cr Bender replied.
“And I know that comes from a place of privilege, because for those of us for whom the system is working, I think we need to step back and imagine what it would feel like to already live in that reality, where calling the police may mean more harm is done.
“And so in the very immediate we have to lean into whatever changes we can make into our existing police department.
“We have done an analysis of all the reasons people call 911 and looked at ways we can shift the response away from armed police officers into a more appropriate response for metal health calls, some domestic violence calls, some health-related issues.”
She dodged a question about whether the left-wing attack on police was playing into the hands of President Donald Trump.
Mr Trump tweeted: “Now the Radical Left Democrats want to Defund and Abandon our Police. Sorry, I want LAW & ORDER!”
This year has seen the lowest crime numbers in our Country’s recorded history, and now the Radical Left Democrats want to Defund and Abandon our Police. Sorry, I want LAW & ORDER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 8, 2020
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden “does not believe that police should be defunded,” a spokesman for his campaign said.
Mr Biden “hears and shares the deep grief and frustration of those calling out for change” and “supports the urgent need for reform”.
But the spokesman said Mr Biden believes providing funding is necessary to help improve policing, including by supporting “community policing programs that improve relationships between officers and residents”.
Commentators in the US say Mr Biden will be placed in a difficult position by left-leaning Democrat voters who will demand he support the “de-fund the cops” movement.
Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh called Mr Biden “complicit” in the de-fund police movement, which has garnered strength in the wake of Floyd’s death.
It calls for funds to be removed from police departments and allocated to social services instead and some call for police departments to be dissolved altogether.
“As the protesters like to say, silence is agreement. By his silence, Joe Biden is endorsing defunding the police,” Mr Murtaugh said.
Former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis said taking funds away from police departments – 90 per cent of which pays wages – would reduce police numbers in areas of most need.
“This talk about disbanding police is just a bridge too far,” Mr Davis said.
Mr Trump had lashed out at his rival on Twitter this weekend as he said Biden and democrats “controlled by the Radical Left” would aim to defend the police during the civil unrest that has gripped the country.
“Sleepy Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats want to ‘DEFUND THE POLICE.’ I want great and well paid LAW ENFORCEMENT. I want LAW & ORDER!” he raged on Saturday night.
On Sunday, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he would be cutting the NYPD’s budget while officials in Minneapolis confirmed that they intended to disband the police force there.
THOUSANDS TURN OUT FOR LATEST FLOYD MEMORIAL
Mourners turned out in their thousands to view George Floyd’s Golden Casket in Houston on Monday US time, a day before he’s buried in the state of Texas.
The 46-year-old man died two weeks ago after he was taken into police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and former Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the back of his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Floyd’s casket will be open to the public at The Fountain of Praise church from 12 to 6pm local time, and guests will have to wear masks and gloves because of the coronavirus outbreak.
A funeral for Floyd is scheduled to be held at 11am local time on Tuesday (early Wednesday AEST), and he will be laid to rest next to his mother at Houston Memorial Gardens in Pearland.
Church Pastor Wright said of the Floyd family: “They really have not had a chance to really grieve because this case is so worldwide.”
“So we are not only concerned about them today but also what will they need next month and the month after that.”
Co-pastor Mia Wright added, according to KARE news outlet: “Our hearts’ desire is to serve her and her family, that’s where our opportunity to serve the Floyd family began.”
SUNDAY PROTESTS TURN VIOLENT IN SEATTLE
As cities around the US withdrew police and ended their curfews as the protests have become more peaceful, the Seattle police department were still out in force last night, using tear gas to disperse protesters.
As other parts of the country start to withdraw cops because they clearly have zero self control, Seattle is doing this: pic.twitter.com/4ZM8z1A8cR
— jordan (@JordanUhl) June 8, 2020
Two days ago, Seattle police promised to not use tear gas for the next 30 days, but on Sunday night protesters could be seen fleeing from clouds of tear gas that chased them down the street, amid several explosions from flash bangs.
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and police Chief Carmen Best said Friday that tear gas wouldn’t be used during protests for at least 30 days except in life-threatening situations.
— Paige Cornwell (@pgcornwell) June 8, 2020
Two days later: pic.twitter.com/nJtsfGuSGk
MAN SHOOTS PROTESTER IN SEATTLE
Video footage has emerged of the moment a man drove a car at George Floyd protesters in Seattle, hit a barricade then exited the vehicle brandishing a pistol.
At least one person was injured in the shocking incident.
The Seattle Fire Department said the victim was a 27-year-old male who was shot and taken to a hospital in stable condition.
Video taken by a reporter for The Seattle Times showed part of the scene in the city’s Capitol Hill neighbourhood, where demonstrators have gathered for days near a police precinct.
Police later said the suspect was taken into custody and a firearm was recovered.
ANGER OVER MAYOR’S STANCE
Minneapolis City Council has also announced its intention to completely disband the Minneapolis Police Department.
Nine of 12 councillors said they supported the move to replace it with “a new public safety model” – although there was little detail to go with the dramatic announcement.
New York City and Los Angeles also announced their intentions to cut funding to their police departments, which will pit them against powerful and angry police unions.
“This council is going to dismantle this police department,” Minneapolis Councillor Jeremiah Ellison told a joyous group of protesters.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was humiliated when he refused to commit to disband the police force when asked at a protest rally. He was heckled and booed as he shuffled away from the rowdy mob.
US policing expert Charles Ramsey said he was disturbed by the developments.
“Will the public be safe? Criminals don’t go on holiday,” he said.
“The Minneapolis Police Department needs reform. But throwing it out altogether without having some other plan in place seems hard to understand.”
New York ended its curfew and President Donald Trump withdrew troops from Washington DC as large protests continued, but mostly peacefully.
BRITISH PROTESTS DESCEND INTO CHAOS
Not so in the UK, where Prime Minister Boris Johnson slammed protesters who attacked police officers.
Mr Johnson denounced the “thuggery” of protesters who turned Britain’s streets into chaos for a second day, with bloodied police officers targeted with bottles.
Winston Churchill’s statue was defaced and a lone protester tried to set the Union Jack on fire at The Cenotaph, a major war memorial in London.
In Bristol there were scenes reminiscent of Saddam Hussein’s statue being torn down in Iraq, when the figure of Edward Colston, a 17th century slave trader was thrown into the harbour.
Protesters also closed major roads across the UK as the Black Lives Matter movement, sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis continued.
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“People have a right to protest peacefully and while observing social distancing but they have no right to attack the police,” Mr Johnson said.
“These demonstrations have been subverted by thuggery – and they are a betrayal of the cause they purport to serve.
“Those responsible will be held to account.”
Police were chased down the streets near Parliament Square and Downing Street, with some officers injured and bloodied in the attacks.
A police officer fell off her horse on the weekend in earlier violent protests.
Churchill’s statue in London was defaced for a second day, with protesters spraying the words “was a racist” under the name of the
man regarded as a war hero in Britain.
There were fears that the protests may spark another wave of COVID-19 across the world.
The White House infectious diseases expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, said he was dismayed by images of protesters linked arm in arm – many not wearing masks.
“I get very concerned, as do my colleagues in public health, when they see these kinds of crowds,” he said.
“There certainly is a risk. As I sat in front of the TV and watched the screen go from Washington, DC, to New York City, to Los Angeles, to Philadelphia, I got really concerned.
“I was going, ‘Oh my goodness. I hope this doesn’t set us back a lot.’ After all of the work in trying to maintain the physical distance and doing all the things, I became very concerned that we might see a resurgence.”
Originally published as Justine Damond’s fiance to attend George Floyd’s funeral, accused cop Derek Chauvin faces court