Police Groups Ask Gov. Tim Walz To Stop Commenting On George Floyd Case

From the Minnesota Reformer:

By Max Nesterak

October 23, 2020

The heads of nine police groups in Minnesota sent a letter to Gov. Tim Walz on Friday asking him to refrain from commenting on the criminal prosecution of four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the killing of George Floyd.

Walz has been vocal about wanting to see the officers charged and convicted in Floyd’s death. He tweeted his support of a judge’s ruling on Thursday denying the officers’ motions to dismiss the cases against them.

BREAKING: Judge upholds murder charges against Derek Chauvin and other officers. Important step toward justice for George Floyd.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) October 22, 2020

Judge Peter Cahill dismissed the third-degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes, but allowed the more serious second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges to stand. The three other officers face charges for aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter.

“Your statements about the officers charged in the criminal case involving George Floyd make it very difficult, if not impossible, for those officers to receive a fair trial through the justice process, which does not serve the public good,” the letter reads.

The letter was signed by the Executive Director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association Brian Peters along with the heads of police unions including Bob Kroll, president of the Minneapolis Police Officers Federation and Paul Kuntz, president of the St. Paul Police Federation.

Today the MPPOA and others sent a letter to Governor Tim Walz asking him to refrain from making statements on pending litigation. pic.twitter.com/UMGjSfVVHz
— Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association (@MNPoliceAssn) October 23, 2020

The Minnesota Republican Party was quick to support the letter. Minnesota GOP Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan wrote in a statement, “it is entirely inappropriate for the state’s chief executive to publicly give his personal opinion on the proceedings. He has put his thumb on the scales of justice.”

Numerous other politicians have also called for justice for George Floyd including Vice President Mike Pence, who has said, “There is no excuse for what happened to George Floyd and justice will be served.”

Carnahan herself tweeted a similar sentiment when Chauvin was arrested: “The process of justice for #georgefloyd has begun. Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin has been taken into custody by the BCA.”

The four officers facing trial — Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao — have all requested to move the trial out of Hennepin County, although the judge has not yet made a decision. Cahill has said officials speaking publicly about the case could force him to change the trial venue.

The Minnesota Reformer is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to keeping Minnesotans informed and unearthing stories other outlets can’t or won’t tell..