The household of George Floyd marked the fourth anniversary of his homicide by renewing their name for Congress to go 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 go the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
The laws handed within the then-Democratically managed Home in June 2020. But it surely 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 legislation enforcement to be held “accountable for misconduct in court docket,” and police coaching and coverage reforms.
“We’ve the chance to enact daring, complete reform to policing practices, to right and forestall pointless deaths. Congress should go the George Floyd #JusticeInPolicingAct of 2024,” Rep. Jackson Lee wrote in a Fb submit.
Philonise Floyd agreed.
“Of their thoughts they (police) are you as a goal simply since you’re any person of shade,” he mentioned. “On the finish of the day, if they’ll make federal legal guidelines to guard the hen, which is the bald eagle, then they’ll make federal legal guidelines to guard folks 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 almost 9 minutes as Floyd pleaded for assist and mentioned he could not breathe.
The next yr, 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 court docket of depriving Floyd of his civil rights.
Three different former Minneapolis cops additionally confronted state and federal expenses and had been sentenced to jail time for his or her function in Floyd’s homicide.
George Floyd Sq. in Minneapolis grew to become a makeshift memorial for Floyd, who died on the hand of police making an arrest.
AP Picture/Jim Mone
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 might have been spared if we had the braveness to behave.”
“We’d like a transparent nationwide normal to uphold the promise of equal safety below the legislation,” she mentioned.
George Floyd’s homicide sparked a wave of protests in opposition to racial injustice and police brutality all over the world. 4 years later, Floyd’s demise nonetheless feels uncooked to his household, who had been inclined to joined the ranks of Black People spurred to motion after their family members had been killed by police.
“I promised myself as I am watching that video (of his demise) that I obtained to do one thing. And I’ve not stopped doing one thing,” Floyd’s uncle Selwyn Jones advised 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 folks 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 is not optimistic in regards to the destiny of the laws.
“I am pissed off as a result of I do not assume it’s going to ever get handed. And if it does, it must be so watered down, however we had been promised that that invoice would go,” 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 will be the way it was,” Jones mentioned. “Let’s all sit round and eat, drink, rejoice and care about one another.”