Maxine Waters says cop who choked George Floyd with his knee for eight minutes 'enjoyed doing it'
Rep. Maxine Waters has said the now-fired Minneapolis cop who pressed his knee against George Floyd's neck “enjoyed doing what he was doing” and was determined to kill someone that day. “I believe sometimes some of these officers leave home thinking, ‘I’m going to get me one today.' And I think this is his one," she told TMZ of the officer.
“He didn’t care whether or not anybody was photographing him," Waters said. "He did what he was doing and the officers who stood there and watched him are just as guilty as he is.”
Officer Derek Chauvin blatantly ignored Floyd's repeated pleas that he couldn't breathe and continue to pin the handcuffed man to the ground for more than eight minutes in a deadly arrest that was caught on camera Monday. Chauvin and three other officers at the scene were fired on Tuesday after they also ignored the pleas of a number of bystanders who urged them for mercy in a bone-chilling display of police brutality that has rocked the country and sparked violent protests and riots in Minneapolis. 46-year-old Floyd was pronounced dead shortly after the incident. The father of two was reportedly being questioned for allegedly passing out a counterfeit bill. A number of prominent figures including the city's mayor have called for the officers to be thrown into jail, but authorities are still trying to determine whether to file charges pending investigation.
Waters, who has represented California's 43rd congressional district since 1991, noted that Floyd was not resisting arrest and was lying face down when Chauvin locked his knee-deep into the man's neck until he passed out. “If in fact you have subdued a suspect and you’re not in any danger at all because the handcuffs are on him, there is no reason for the police to do what these police did,” she told TMZ.
The California Democrat said she now fears the justice system will somehow find a way to “protect those officers,” by possibly ruling it as a justifiable homicide. “That’s what we’ve got to deal with it,” Waters said. “We’ve got to deal with the fact that we’re in America with a justice system that does not work for everybody.”
Cardi B, Diddy, Ciara, Viola Davis, and Demi Lovato were among a number of celebrities who expressed their outrage over Floyd's death. They have called for the officers to not just be terminated but also be charged with murder. Meanwhile, the FBI has confirmed it is investigating the man's death with the aid of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. All body camera footage has been turned over to the BCA, which is in charge of investigating most police shootings and in-custody deaths.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey applauded the decision to fire the four officers involved in the disturbing altercation. "Four responding MPD officers involved in the death of George Floyd have been terminated," he tweeted. "This is the right call.."
That said, it is still unclear if they will be charged in Floyd's death.