New Police Bodycam Footage Raises Troubling Questions about Floyd's Arrest

The footage raises new and troubling questions about how he was treated in custody.

Body camera footage recorded by the former officers charged in the death of George Floyd was made publicly available on Monday after a Minnesota judge ordered its release.

George Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on Memorial Day 2020, after bystander video showed former officer Derek Chauvin's knee on his neck for over nine minutes as Floyd was heard saying "I can't breathe."

Chauvin was charged with second-degree and third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. Former officers Lane, Kueng and Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. All four officers were fired.

On July 13, a coalition of media companies filed a motion to obtain copies of the body camera video. Two days later, reporters were allowed to view the footage by appointment but not take it with them. A hearing was held July 21, and neither the state nor the defense objected to the footage being released to the media. On Friday, Aug. 7, Judge Peter Cahill filed an order releasing the video to media and members of the public who want to obtain copies. That video was ultimately made public on Aug. 10.