The events leading up to the death of George Floyd have been simmering for years. Derek Chauvin had faced at least 17 misconduct complaints during his years with the Minneapolis Police Department. In the past he shot and critically wounded a man, was rebuked for using derogatory language and a demeaning tone with the public, and was named in a 2017 brutality lawsuit. Other than several letters of reprimand, records show no disciplinary action.
This man’s problems seem to go deep, as witnessed by the fact that his wife has filed for a divorce. I can only assume that their marital problems started long before this incident, because it didn’t take her long to file once news broke about her husband.
Who was protecting this man’s actions? As in many cases where unions are involved, there seems to be a “turn a blind eye” attitude to protect dues-paying members. Perhaps an old adage would be appropriate here: “A stitch in time saves nine.”
The carnage that we have witnessed could possibly have been avoided if this man received the help and/or discipline that he deserved.
Ed Liberatore
Turtle Creek