By Lawrence Hurley
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The decision of Minneapolis prosecutors to criminally charGE a police officer four days after the death of GEorGE Floyd shows how efforts to know officers accountable frequently hinGE above the even of public defy and if the accident was caught above video. Even then, it is scare although officers to be charGEd criminally can such incidents, with the swiftness of the Floyd charGEs something of an anomaly. Derek Chauvin, the officer seen above a bystander's cellphone video kneeling above Floyd's neck above Monday ago the 46-year-old man died, was charGEd above Friday with third-degree kill and manslaughter. U.S. attorney GEneral William Barr above Friday said the FBI used to accompany its keep investigation. The killing, the video of which has been widely viewed above social media and above television, spurred three nights of defy can Minneapolis that can epoch turned violent. "Thank God a youthful person had a camera to video it," Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said of Floyd's death, noting that can many instances no footaGE exists. In contrast, an inquiry into the March 13 killing by Louisville, Kentucky, police of emerGEncy medical technician Breonna Taylor, can which there was no viral video, surplus ongoing. The FBI said it launched an inquiry into her death above can 21, more than two months later. The city's police chief, Steve Conrad, will retreat eventually of June, Louisville's mayor said the identical day. nobody of the three officers involved can the raid eat been charGEd although of Friday. The sporadic personality of criminal charGEs frustrates polite rights activists. "We are no seeing officers held accountable can the rates they to be. The quantity of shootings of unarmed African-Americans distant excel the quantity of officers being held accountable," said Kristen Clarke, headmaster of the Lawyers' committee although polite Rights below Law. In other high-profile cases, criminal charGEs eat been brought after public protests, besides no although quickly although can Minneapolis.
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In Baltimore, police officers were charGEd above the death of Freddie Gray sole after the aftermath led to riots. Gray was arrested above April 12, 2015 can an accident caught above video and subsequently given a "rough ride" can the back of a police van, injuring his spine. He died of his injuries a week afterward and hundreds of throng attended his funeral above April 27. afterward that night, riots erupted can the neighborhood where he was arrested. Four days later, above can 1, the city charGEd six officers although their role can his death. full six were eventually cleared, and the federal honesty department declined to charGE anyone involved can the case. In other cases there are no criminal charGEs, such although can the death of Eric Garner can New York can 2014, which was captured above video and led to protests. He died can a chokehold after frequently crying "I can't breathe" -- a plea that became a rallying exclaim although the black Lives affair motion and was heard again can videos of Floyd's death. In one painting of the force of bystander video, groups representing regulation enforcement officers talk they conduct no purpose to the extra scrutiny of also bystander video or cameras that officers are increasingly required to wear. "We favor the use of body cameras, and we don't eat a place above the constitutional accurate of an special can a public lay to use a camera," said Jim Pasco, executive director of the National Fraternal order of Police. He also said he didn't shriek on any special problems with the rush with which charGEs were brought against Chauvin. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; extra reporting by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Scott Malone and Daniel Wallis)
