Don’t blame the victim

Letter writer Russell Haas shown that with a quick visit to Wikipedia, one can find anything to blame a prone, handcuffed man for dying under the weight of three police officers, while a fourth prevented angry by-standers from intervening. We’ve all seen this scenario turn out tragically far too many times. George Floyd spent the last 8:46 minutes of life suffocating while begging. Officer Chauvin’s conduct turned George Floyd’s arrest into a capital case with himself as prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner. Enough! Nobody would ever abide these murders if the victims were unarmed belligerent white men with a few beers in them. The disturbing aspect is that Chauvin was the training officer for those rookie cops and apparently that day’s lesson was to gain submission at any cost. Mr Haas you are not a doctor and you should refrain from making medical diagnoses. Blaming victims of this behavior will never make it acceptable We are fortunate that most of our police are dedicated, capable public servants. Not all of them are but that’s a different subject for debate. I’m willing.

Paul Barnkow,

Arvada

It was homicide

It’s unfortunate that Russell Haas left out the conclusion in his letter of July 2, of both the Hennepin County Coroner and an independent medical examiner--that George Floyd’s death was a homicide. Yes, simply, George Floyd was killed by the four thugs from the Minneapolis Police Department.

So Mr. Floyd had drugs in his system. Mr. Haas’ theory of ‘excited delirium syndrome’ is just fake news. He was not resisting arrest. He may well have passed a counterfeit bill. But did he deserve to be murdered for it? I think not.

“Four unjustly accused police officers,” I hardly think. I hope all four are convicted and that more police violence towards Black men is stopped. It is time.

Steven Williams,

Arvada

Cannot justify this killing

The letter you published July 2nd which appeared to say George Floyd’s killing was justified because an autopsy found drugs in his body is so outrageous, I must respond. We just celebrated a holiday that should remind us all to honor the civic and civil discourse and freedom of speech our ancestors fought for. That said, I am left wondering what the letter writer was trying to say:

Was he trying to defend the good policemen and women – of which there are many – whose service to community has been tarnished by the Minneapolis cop’s knee on the neck of a prone human being for more than eight minutes?

Was he trying to deflect criticism from Trump’s divisive and abysmal response to Floyd’s death by blaming the victim?

Or was he urging us all to take leave of our common sense? The tactics used against George Floyd were not justified. The family asked for an independent autopsy so the findings may be in doubt. But even if accurate, I am sure the letter writer would say we live in a nation which professes Christian beliefs – do unto others as you would have them do unto you – and that he would never want a knee pressed to his son’s or his own neck no matter how many drugs had been used.

We should not make excuses for reprehensible behavior. Rather we should all be motivated by this tragic death to create positive change that better fulfills America’s promise!

John Winkel,

Arvada