WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th June, 2020) An attorney representing one of the former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd told reporters on Monday that the judge presiding over the case ordered all parties to refrain from publicly commenting on legal matters.
"The judge [Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill] today issued an order telling the litigates, who I'm one of, that we are not to comment on the evidence, what we see as the merits to the case or a person's guilt or innocence, so I'm not going to do that," attorney Robert Paulie, who is representing former police officer Tou Thao, told reporters outside the courthouse following a hearing.
On Friday, Cahill ruled against allowing audio or video coverage of any pretrial proceedings in Floyd's case.
On June 1, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office ruled Floyd's death a homicide. Floyd died on May 25 after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground with his knee for at least eight minutes, ignoring his cries of not being able to breathe.
The four police officers involved in Floyd's arrest have been fired. Chauvin was initially charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, but had his murder charge was upgraded to second-degree murder, while the other three officers have been charged with aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter.
