George Floyd’s family calls on Congress to pass police reform, 4 years after his murder in Minneapolis

The household of George Floyd marked the fourth anniversary of his homicide by renewing their name for Congress to cross laws to reform policing in America that’s named in his honor.

“Change is required,” Philonise Floyd, George Floyd’s brother, mentioned at a information convention Thursday the place democratic lawmakers introduced their newest effort to cross the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

The laws handed within the then-Democratically managed Home in June 2020. However it stalled within the Senate.

Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee reintroduced the invoice on Thursday, days earlier than the fourth anniversary of Floyd’s homicide. It requires regulation enforcement to be held “accountable for misconduct in courtroom,” and police coaching and coverage reforms.

“We’ve got the chance to enact daring, complete reform to policing practices, to appropriate and stop pointless deaths. Congress should cross the George Floyd #JusticeInPolicingAct of 2024,” Rep. Jackson Lee wrote in a Fb put up.

Philonise Floyd agreed.

“Of their thoughts they (police) are taking a look at you as a goal simply since you’re anyone of shade,” he mentioned. “On the finish of the day, if they’ll make federal legal guidelines to guard the fowl, which is the bald eagle, then they’ll make federal legal guidelines to guard individuals of shade.”

George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was killed on Could 25, 2020, whereas in police custody. Derek Chauvin, a White police officer, was filmed kneeling on Floyd’s neck and again for practically 9 minutes as Floyd pleaded for assist and mentioned he could not breathe.

The next 12 months, Chauvin was convicted of homicide and manslaughter in a state trial and sentenced to greater than 22 years in jail. He later pleaded responsible in federal courtroom of depriving Floyd of his civil rights.

Three different former Minneapolis law enforcement officials additionally confronted state and federal prices and had been sentenced to jail time for his or her position in Floyd’s homicide.

Talking at Thursday’s press convention, Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, who represents Minneapolis, referred to as on her fellow lawmakers to “consider the lives that would have been spared if we had the braveness to behave.”

“We want a transparent nationwide customary to uphold the promise of equal safety underneath the regulation,” she mentioned.

George Floyd’s homicide sparked a wave of protests towards racial injustice and police brutality all over the world. 4 years later, Floyd’s dying nonetheless feels uncooked to his household, who had been inclined to joined the ranks of Black Individuals spurred to motion after their family members had been killed by police.

“I promised myself as I am watching that video (of his dying) that I received to do one thing. And I’ve not stopped doing one thing,” Floyd’s uncle Selwyn Jones instructed CNN.

This spring, Jones joined Gwen Carr, the mom of Eric Garner, an unarmed Black man who was additionally killed by police in 2014, to speak about how they’ve turned their ache into purposeful activism at Harvard College.

Jones mentioned he co-founded Hope929.org, a charity devoted to empowering individuals marginalized by society, to result in change in honor of his nephew.

“What I can do is I can take the atrocity that he was dealt that day and make a distinction,” he mentioned.

However he isn’t optimistic in regards to the destiny of the laws.

“I am annoyed as a result of I do not assume it will ever get handed. And if it does, it needs to be so watered down, however we had been promised that that invoice would cross,” he mentioned.

Jones mentioned he and his household will proceed to uplift Floyd’s legacy. He mentioned he plans to attend a celebration in Floyd’s honor this weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“It is going to be the way it was once,” Jones mentioned. “Let’s all sit round and eat, drink, rejoice and care about one another.”