George Floyd Death Was "Murder, Not Policing": Prosecutor

"This wasn't policing, this was murder," Steve Schleicher said. "Nine minutes and 29 seconds of shocking abuse of authority.

A prosecutor urged jurors on Monday to convict the white former Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd, saying the death of the 46-year-old Black man, which was captured on video seen by millions around the world, was "murder" not policing. "This case is exactly what you thought when you saw it first, when you saw that video," Steve Schleicher said in closing arguments at the trial of ex-policeman Derek Chauvin. "You can believe your eyes," Schleicher said. "It's exactly what you knew, it's what you felt in your gut, it's what you now know in your heart." Chauvin, 45, is charged with murder and manslaughter over Floyd's May 25, 2020 death, which sparked protests against racial injustice around the world and is being seen as a landmark test of police accountability.