Reaction to the death of a man in Minneapolis police custody has been far-reaching.“The images of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis are deeply disturbing,” New Jersey’s county prosecutors said in a statement about what charges have labeled murder. Video shows since-fired Police Officer Derek Chauvin with his knee on George Floyd’s neck for what the complaint against Chauvin says was more than eight minutes — nearly three of those after Floyd was no longer responsive.Chauvin is charged with third-degree murder and aggravated manslaughter.The death sparked riots in Minneapolis and protests well beyond.A group in Atlantic City plan to come together Sunday at the Public Safety Building to speak out about the issue.
“Show Up or Shut Up” says the flyer announcing the gathering set for 1 p.m. Sunday.“Support the families of black men and women shot by police,” the flier states, telling people to bring their signs, masks and voices.In addressing the case, New Jersey’s county prosecutors said it is important to have a good relationship between law enforcement and the community.“As county prosecutors entrusted with the solemn responsibility of acting as the chief law enforcement officer in our respective counties, we recognize that so much of law enforcement’s relationship with the community is built upon trust,” they said in a joint statement. “We trust the members of our community to follow the law and cooperate with our efforts to enforce it; our community has the right to trust that they will be treated fairly and justly by the officers who serve them.”The prosecutors go on to laud their local officers, but urge those who have had issues to come forward.“The County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey is committed to ensuring that members of our local, county and state police forces provide fair treatment and justice to all our residents,” they wrote. “Anyone who believes they have been victimized by a member of law enforcement as a result of bias or other improper behavior is encouraged to take the matter up with that officer’s chief, or contact their county Prosecutor’s Office directly so their complaint can be thoroughly investigated.”
They also point to statewide reforms issued by state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, which “are intended to promote the culture of professionalism, accountability and transparency that are hallmarks of New Jersey’s best law enforcement agencies.”“Through Attorney General Grewal’s ‘Excellence in Policing Initiative,’ the state is building a national model for strengthening accountability and trust between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve,” they added. “In closing, we will keep George Floyd, his family and friends in our thoughts and prayers. In addition to being county prosecutors, we are all part of the citizenry we serve and as such, we pledge our continued commitment to ensuring justice for each and every resident of our state, to holding all offenders, police officers included, accountable for their crimes, and improving relations between law enforcement and the community.”
A CNN news team was arrested during live coverage the riots in Minneapolis
