Former Arizona DPS director supports charges against Minnesota cops

PHOENIX — Former Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Frank Milstead said he supports prosecutors’ decision to charge additional former Minnesota officers in connection to the death of George Floyd.

On Wednesday, prosecutors charged three former officers who were at the scene of Floyd’s death with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

“If you watch the video from different angles, it doesn’t appear that Mr. Floyd ever does anything to attack somebody or to really garner this type of attention,” Milstead told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

“To watch Officer Chauvin just lean on that man’s neck … for those other officers to sit there and do nothing, there has to be some form of complicit crime involvement.”

Since it is incumbent upon officers to protect the lives of all citizens, Milstead added that junior officers must confront senior officers when the actions of the latter are putting lives at risk.

“This is not an accidental death by my interpretation,” Milstead said

“You [officers] have a duty to protect everyone’s life, whether its being taken by a police officer or somebody else.”

An elevated charge of second-degree murder was also filed Wednesday against Derek Chauvin — the former officer who was caught on video pressing his knee to Floyd’s neck.

Chauvin and the three other former officers were fired last week.

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