In a further development related to the death of George Floyd, a co-worker of both Floyd and the officer charged with killing him, Derek Chauvin, has said that the two had ‘bumped heads’ while working together.
It has previously been revealed that both men worked as doormen at the El Nuevo Rodeo club in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but it had been up to now unclear as to whether they actually knew each other. It is believed that the club was extremely large and up to a dozen doormen could be working there at different times, both inside and outside.
David Pinney, who also worked at the club, told CBS news that the men did not get along at all. Stating that:
“They bumped heads … It has a lot to do with Derek being extremely aggressive within the club with some of the patrons, which was an issue.”
Maya Santamaria, who was the club’s owner while it was still open has previously stated that Chauvin was overly aggressive while he worked there. She said he often used pepper-spray and that he overreacted to situations. She recounted:
“He sometimes had a real short fuse and he seemed afraid … When there was an altercation he always resorted to pulling out his mace and pepper spraying everybody right away, even if I felt it was unwarranted.”
It does beg the question though that, if Chauvin was so out of order, why Santamaria continued to have him employed there at her club? The truth as to whether Floyd and Chauvin knew each other, or had prior disagreements, could play a central role in the criminal trial when it begins.
This is because, the argument could then be made that Chauvin had a premeditated intention towards Floyd, if indeed they had past dealings – this could also result in a far more lengthy prison sentence.
Unintentional second-degree murder carries a 12 and a half year sentence while intentional second-degree murder carries a 25 year sentence.
These are all facts that will be argued over when the case of the four charged officers is brought before the courts. Thomas Lane, one of the officers charged, has now been released on a bail of $750,000.
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