Officer charged in George Floyd’s death released on bond

The former Minneapolis police officer charged with the murder of George Floyd was released from jail after posting a $1 million bond on Wednesday. 

Court records show that Derek Chauvin was released from the facility where he was detained sometime before 11:30 a.m. local time. This prompted the governor of Minnesota to activate the National Guard in case of protests.

"Derek Chauvin’s release on bond is a painful reminder to George Floyd’s family that we are still far from achieving justice for George," lawyers for Floyd's family said in a statement.

George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died after being restrained face down in the street by multiple police officers, including one white officer, Chauvin, who pressed his knee against Floyd's neck for nearly eight minutes.

Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter, while three former officers - Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao - were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter. The other three former officers had previously posted bail.

Under the conditions of Chauvin’s bail, he is required to attend all court appearances, not work in law enforcement, surrender all licenses or permits for firearms, and maintain no contact with Floyd’s family. 

It remains unclear where Chauvin obtained the money for the bond. 

Floyd's death, which was officially declared a homicide, sparked demonstrations against police brutality and racial injustice across the United States and the world. 

After Chauvin posted bail, hundreds of people took to the streets of Minneapolis to demand justice. 

Source: DW