>> JOINING US NOW IS KEITH
ELLISON, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF
MINNESOTA.
GENERAL ELLISON, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
I WANT TO GET YOUR REACTION TO
THE SPEED OF THE FIRING HERE
COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO US WHAT THE
DIFFERENCE IS THAT YOU’RE AWARE
OF BETWEEN NEW YORK CITY TAKING
OVER FIVE YEARS TO FIRE THE
OFFICER IN A SIMILAR CASE IN THE
ERIC GARNER CASE, AND THOSE
OFFICERS FIRED LESS THAN 24
HOURS AFTER THE EVENT?
>> WELL, I WANT TO COMMEND THE
CHIEF FOR TAKING QUICK AND
DECISIVE ACTION.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE CHIEF
WAS A VERY CAREFUL PERSON WHO
OBSERVES PROPER PROTOCOLS,
UNDERSTANDS THAT POLICING IS NOT
ALWAYS EASY AND THAT THERE ARE
TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY
BUT I’M SURE HE GOT BOTH SIDES
OF THE STORY AND CAME TO THE
CONCLUSION THAT THESE OFFICERS
FAILED TO LIVE UP TO THE
STANDARDS WE HAVE IN
MINNEAPOLIS.
AND IT WASN’T JUST THE ONE
OFFICER WHO, BASED ON THE TAPE,
HAD HIS KNEE ON MR. FLOYD’S
NECK, DESPITE PROTESTS FROM THE
PEOPLE LOOKING ON.
AND FROM, BASED ON MR. FLOYD,
BUT THOSE THREE WHO STOOD THERE
CLEARLY JUST WATCHED IT.
I’M SURE THEY SAY I WAS JUST
DOING MY JOB
BUT WE EXPECT PEOPLE TO DO
WHAT’S RIGHT, NOT JUST DO WHAT
THEIR PEERS MIGHT EXPECT OF
THEM
BECAUSE IF THE CULTURE IS WRONG,
PEOPLE WILL ACT IN A WRONG
MANNER
SO I’M GLAD HE TOOK THE ACTION
HE DID
I THINK IT WAS RIGHT, AND I
THINK THAT IT’S NOT AN EASY
DECISION, BUT I THINK --
>> THE POLICE UNION ISSUED THIS
STATEMENT --
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO RUSH TO
JUDGMENT AND IMMEDIATELY CONDEMN
OUR OFFICERS
AN IN DEPTH INVESTIGATION IS
UNDER WAY.
WE MUST REVIEW ALL VIDEO
WE MUST WAIT FOR THE MEDICAL EXAMINE’S REPORT
>> WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO
THAT
>> ACTUALLY, I THINK THAT THE
INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE MOVED
FORWARD.
I THINK THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD
COOPERATE WITH THE
INVESTIGATION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SOME
VIDEO FROM THE SCENE, FROM
ONLOOKERS.
YOU HAVE POLICE VIDEO FROM THE
BODY WORN TYPE
YOU MAY HAVE SOME FROM OTHER
SOURCES, AS WELL
HIS HANDS WERE CUFFED, THEY WERE
BEHIND HIS BACK.
SO YES, THE BUREAU OFCRIMINAL
APPREHENSION WILL BE DOING THEIR
INVESTIGATION.
THE FBI WILL BE DOING ONE, AS
WELL
AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO
GET DOWN TO THE FACTS.
BUT I THINK THAT -- AND I HOPE
THIS INVESTIGATION WILL BE
SWIFT, EXPEDITIOUS AND THOROUGH.
BUT I ALSO DON’T THINK THAT THAT
MEANS THAT THE COMMUNITY CANNOT
EXPRESS ITS OUTRAGE,
DISAPPOINTMENT, AND FRUSTRATION.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE
HAVE SEEN DEADLY FORCE ENCOUNTERS WITH THE POLICE
ENCOUNTERS WITH THE POLICE
WE HAVE HAD PHILANDO CASSTILLO,
AND OTHERS
THERE’S A NATIONAL SCENE
INVOLVING EVERYBODY -- WE CAN GO
BACK TO RODNEY KING.
ERIC GARNER.
THIS IS A NATIONAL, HISTORIC
PROBLEM.
PEOPLE ARE OUTRAGED BY IT.
THEY’RE SICK OF IT AND THEY WANT
GOVERNMENT TO BE RESPONSIVE.
AND SO TO SAY LET THE
INVESTIGATION HAPPEN, AND THEN
ON THE OTHER HAND, I MEAN, THAT
SHOULD NOT MEAN DON’T PROTEST,
DON’T BE UPSET, DON’T DEMAND
THAT THERE’S A THOROUGH AND
EXPEDITIOUS INVESTIGATION.
BOTH CAN HAPPEN, BOTH SHOULD
HAPPEN
>> CAN YOU CLARIFY FOR US THE --
WHY THE POLICE WERE APPROACHING
HIM?
>> WELL, APPARENTLY THERE WAS A
CALL THAT A COUNTERFEIT BILL OR
SOME SORT OF A FORGERY CHARGE.
NONVIOLENT CHARGE, IT’S A
PROPERTY OFFENSE
AND HE WAS ONLY SUSPECTED.
THERE WAS NO DEFINITIVE PROOF
THAT THAT EVEN OCCURRED.
BUT THAT WAS THE PURPORTED
REASON FOR THAT.
HE WASN’T HARMING ANYONE WHEN
THEY APPROACHED HIM.
AND SO THE IDEA THAT THINGS WENT