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UPPER MARLBORO, MD – Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy released the following statement regarding the death of George Floyd at the hands of officers with the Minneapolis Police Department:
“I would like to express my most sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Mr. George Floyd. My heart is broken and I am truly outraged by his brutal murder captured on video.
“I, like millions of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Prince Georgians, witnessed the murder of yet another black man at the hands—or in this case, the knee—of a law enforcement officer. Mr. Floyd was someone’s son, brother, best friend, and neighbor—he was a human being and he was important. Yet the officers involved acted as if his life had no value, as if he wasn’t worthy of humanity.
“At the time of his death, he was handcuffed with his arms behind his back, unarmed, and helpless on the ground; dying slowly and painfully, begging for his life, calling out for his dead mother, while he was being restrained by three officers, one with a knee on his neck and another officer cowardly observing the slow and deliberate murder of a fellow human being.
“It is clear from the video; the only thing Mr. Floyd was resisting was death. Sadly, he resisted unsuccessfully.
“The symbolism of this cruel and unconscionable act is not lost on me, like I know it is not lost on you. Historically, those with unchecked authority have stood on the necks of others without consequences. I have the privilege of knowing courageous and compassionate law enforcement officers who take their duty to protect and serve seriously and have risked their lives every day. “However, too many black men and women have been victimized, needlessly and senselessly losing their lives at the hands of police officers across the country for no other reason than the failure of rogue law enforcement officers to acknowledge the value of black lives.
“Cases like these must be handled with the public trust, and it appears that the trust has eroded as a result of misguided statements made by the local prosecutor and the reference to preliminary findings of the medical examiner included in the Criminal Complaint filed on Friday, May 29, 2020.
“Today, I am using my voice to not only call for swift justice for Mr. Floyd, but fair justice.
“I also call on Attorney General Keith Ellison to evaluate the current climate in the community, and make recommendations on how this case should be handled, and to request an independent medical examination. While the Attorney General may not have the constitutional authority to overstep the local prosecutor, he has the ability to use his position and influence to ensure that proper decisions are made in the pursuit of justice.
“The officers who participated in this murder should be brought to justice swiftly, but the prosecution must be fair, transparent and done with integrity.”
Contact: Denise Smith | Phone: 240-832-4970 | Email: dgsmith@co.pg.md.us