Santa Barbara County DA reacts to charges against Minneapolis police officers
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley is weighing in on the case involving four Minneapolis police officers charged with the killing of George Floyd, a black man, more than a week ago.
"The video I saw affected me like it affected everybody else," Dudley said. "It had a horrible affect on me .... I've never seen anyone being killed. That was the first time in my life I've seen anyone being killed and I could never have imagined that it would be a law enforcement officer killing, doing the killing. The law enforcement officers I've known in Santa Barbara County are the ones who would rush in and do everything they could to stop a killing."
Dudley said she's been asked a number of questions about the case in the past 24 hours.
"Based upon what I have seen, and read, the charge of 2nd degree murder is appropriate for all four officers (with three charged under an aiding and abetting theory). Here, the charge of second degree murder is based upon the theory that (Derek) Chauvin killed Mr Floyd during a felony assault. Since the case is still under investigation further evidence could, once again, change the charge. In order for the prosecutor to further increase the charge to 1st degree murder there would need to be either circumstantial or direct evidence that would show that Chauvin intended to kill Mr Floyd. Under these circumstances I would expect there to be a trial in about one year."
Derek Chauvin, the officer seen in a viral videotape holding his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, and three other officers face a slew of charges including second-degree murder, third-degree murder, manslaughter, aiding and abetting.
All four officers have been fired from the Minneapolis Police Department.
Dudley said it usually takes two years for a criminal case to go to trial. She also said it is possible that all four defendants could be tried together, separately, or "some combination of the two."
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is now in charge of the case, as requested by both Governor Tim Walz and Hennepin County District Attorney Michael Freeman. Dudley said it is "unusual" for an attorney general to join a prosecutor, however, it is something she requested in the Plains All American Pipeline oil spill case -- a first during her ten years as DA.
"Everyone knows the world is watching," Dudley said.
