The Derek Chauvin trial was delayed Monday, as the judge is now considering an additional charge of third-degree murder.
What You Need To Know
- Minneapolis taking steps for safety as Derek Chauvin trial begins
- Former officer is charged in the May 2020 death of George Floyd
- Black Lives Matter leader pleas for more options for youth, homeless
- SEE ALSO: Jury Selection on Pause for Ex-Cop Charged in Floyd's Death
The former Minneapolis police officer was caught on camera May 25, kneeling on George Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Millions of people watched Floyd take his last breath.
Reports show over 15 million people took to the streets to demand justice for Floyd with a host of other demands that included a look into police brutality.
“Now all I see when I leave my house in barbed wire and fences; the city spent $1.2 million on that instead of investing in our youth,” said Black Lives Matter leader Todd Gramenz. “I’m from Minnesota, born and raised and I can tell you this is not where this fight started.”
“The city of Minneapolis spent $1.2 million dollars to put barbed wire and fences throughout the city but won’t create the mental health center the youth asked for or work with us to create more jobs; we’re focused on getting people off the streets.” @BN9 pic.twitter.com/OgQQ324a8x
— Ashonti Ford TV (@AshontiFordBN9) March 8, 2021
Gramenz started marching with Black Lives Matter groups after the death of Trayvon Martin in 2012. Now he works on policy change with city leaders.
“It’s all about the youth,” said Gramenz. “We need more programs to lift them up like Guns Down Hammers Up where we take youth straight off the street and put them in foreclosed homes to work; teach them about LLC’s and how to start a business. We need more of that.”
Gramenz joins many others throughout the city of Minneapolis that say the boarded up buildings and barbed wire that line their streets only adds more tension.
“If he’s not convicted - if there’s not a guilty verdict, what are you going to do? Are you just going to board up the city?”
Minneapolis spent more than $1 million on security measures as the city braces itself for the Chauvin trial.
“All the tension and feeling here in the air; you feel hurt, grief - we don’t want to see history replay itself,” said Gramenz. “A lot of these officers get off, over and over again. We’ve been marching for seven years with Black Lives Matter strong and then there are the ones who came before us. We’re ready for change.”
Gramenz joins other city leaders in asking for more options for youth and the homeless community.
“Right now in Minneapolis there are 22,000 people that were homeless over the winter and there’s no real programs to address that, let’s talk about that,” said Gramenz. “We need job creation for youth. Let’s talk about that. When these real conversations hit, let’s talk about a real demand.”
The judge is now considering an additional charge of third-degree murder for Chauvin. He has indicated that he will plead not guilty.
The trial is said to have hundreds of witnesses, so delegations could move past spring.