Ex-Officer Accused in Floyd’s Death Has History of Complaints Against Him for Excessive Force

“A white Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyd’s neck opened fire on two people during his 19-year career and had nearly 20 complaints and two letters of reprimand filed against him.

“Derek Chauvin, 44, became the focus of street protests and a federal investigation after he was seen in cellphone video kneeling on the neck of Floyd, a 46-year-old a black man, for almost eight minutes Monday night during his arrest on a suspicion of passing a counterfeit bill. Floyd, who was handcuffed and heard saying he couldn’t breathe, was pronounced dead later that night.

“Chauvin, whose driveway was splattered with red paint and the graffiti “murderer,” has not spoken publicly since Floyd’s death and his attorney did not respond to calls seeking comment. He and the other three officers involved in Floyd’s arrest were fired Tuesday.

“Minneapolis City Council records show that Chauvin moonlighted as a bouncer at a downtown Latin nightclub. A former owner of the club told KSTP-TV on Thursday that Floyd also worked security for the club up to the end of last year. But Maya Santamaria, who the station reported owned the El Nuevo Rodeo Club for nearly two decades before selling the venue this year, said she didn’t know if the men knew each other because the club often had a couple dozen security guards at a time.”

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KJBR-6 points to a history of accusations of violence: