Letter to Editor 9/24

Part #2…  Police vs Black Lives Matter

Editor:

This is Part #2 of a Three Part Opinion Letter.

George Floyd’s death (supposedly) at the hands of Minneapolis police was filmed, in part, via a cell-phone. At least that’s what the news media showed the public. The 8-9 minute video that launched Black Lives Matter into combat-mode was taken by a ‘By-Stander’ at the scene. The last 8-9 final minutes of the life of George Floyd was purposely exploited to inflame and incite the rioting that the news media knew it would provoke. In my opinion, the police bodycam videos of the initial 28 minutes leading up to the death of Mr. Floyd was NEVER seen until now (reference part 1 of this opinion piece in the Sept. 10 issue). The bodycam video of the first officer to approach Floyd’s car showed Floyd sitting behind the wheel. When ordered to put his hands on the steering wheel, Floyd hesitated, and then reluctantly complied. But then when instructed to put his hands on his head, he instead put his head on the steering wheel. It was while doing so that he was accused of intentionally ingesting 2 milligrams of Fentanyl (a “lethal dose”) in the couple of moments before he raised his hands to his head. Too, the officers’ on the scene claim Floyd had a “white spot on the left side” of his tongue. That is conducive w/ ingesting Fentanyl orally via a patch chewed on by the person. Is the accusation truthful? Only the officer standing at the car door knows the answer to that question. Not that it didn’t happen as the officer claimed, it just wasn’t decisively visible in the video. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner added in its report that Floyd had “recent methamphetamine use” and “Fentanyl intoxication” – along with hypertension and coronary artery disease. A drug pipe was also found in Floyd’s possession when he was searched. It was said that Floyd had enough Fentanyl in his system, that had he been found dead in his apartment, the cause of death would have been listed as a drug ‘OD’ (over-dose). Should Floyd have died? Certainly not. Should he have complied with the officers orders at the onset? Absolutely. Did Floyd act erratically? Definitely. Should the arresting officers have been Leary of what a 6’4′ 250lb. individual, possibly high on drugs could be capable of? Positively! A skinny, puny, short person, ‘high’ on PCP has the strength of 5-6 big, burly guys when the police try to control them.. Video shows he WAS indeed hand-cuffed. Still he was unmanageable. He would not get into the police car (as seen in the video). Everything that transpired from that point on is tragic. Mr. Floyd’s life should not have ended there on that street. There is NO viable defense for the conduct of the re-straining officer (according to the news media). Other than, according to procedure in the Police Manual, when an individual being apprehended exhibits aggression and the person’s actions indicate drugs are involved (as was in Mr. Floyd’s case), the subject is to be controlled, so as to avoid not only injury to the Officers, BUT also to keep the person from injuring himself. An ambulance was on its way (as called for by the police). The time span from when Mr. Floyd was restrained until the ambulance arrived was the difference between life and death for Mr. Floyd. Floyd was talking the whole time he was on the ground, indicating he could breathe. The time and action when Floyd stopped moving is the questionable moments. Had the Officers relaxed their restraint, a sudden burst of energy could have been the difference as to injury to those involved. Was the restraint used by the officers excessive? Did THEY cause Mr. Floyd’s death? Not according to the autopsy report. Mr. Floyd’s underlying physical ailments, plus the drugs in his system at the time, certainly was a contributing factor in his death…  But going FULL circle, complying with the officers at the onset would have made a world of difference in the outcome. Mr. Floyd would still be alive….

      But predictably, the media ran-with the narrative that they always do in their initial report, aka.. ‘Again, the Police Take The life Of An Innocent Black Man’! And again, they get the results that they incite; CHAOS! The media reporting is horrendous.  Watch the bodycam videos of the police officers – In ‘Google Search’- type this – ‘daily mail latest video on George Floyd death’  – when the web site appears, Click on  – ‘Video: Full bodycam footage of George Floyd’s arrest released’ – you readers decide.

Paul Johnson

Breesport, NY