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Derek Chauvin's First Court Appearance Postponed; Minneapolis Police Chief Talks To Floyd Family For First Time; George Floyd's Family Arrives At Memorial Site; George Floyd's Brother Leads Prayer Vigil At Site Of Death. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired June 01, 2020 - 13:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[13:30:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Can you let me know?

YODIT TEWOLDE, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Yes. So there wasn't a reason that was given for why his court date was postponed. It is my guess that he was given a $500,000 bail. And there wasn't any conditions for pretrial release. So they were going to go ahead and establish that.

You know, they had some concerns with Chauvin being in a particular facility with COVID, running rampant and several of the jails and prisons. They're in Minnesota, so they had to move in there.

How we move forward with these charges now that the case has been given to the Attorney General in Minnesota, Keith Ellison. He's going to be taking the lead on this. He's going to be looking at the evidence. The family, George Floyd's family trusts him. There was a distrust with the original prosecutor Mike Freeman, especially when he came out in that press conference and said that there was no charges being charged at that moment.

And there was some evidence that would suggest that wouldn't support criminal charges. And so at that point, trust was lost and so the case has been moved to Keith Ellison to take hold of that. And so we're going to see this process play out.

We've heard Keith Ellison also talk about charges for the other three officers for all of this stuff to simmer down to some sort of peaceful time, there's going to have to be some significant charges for those other three officers, and possibly in enhancement on the charge that Derek Chauvin is currently charged with now.

KEILAR: And I wonder, Steven, what your reaction is to that, that the Attorney General Keith Ellison is now in charge of this?

STEVEN BELTON, PRESIDENT & CEO, URBAN LEAGUE TWIN CITIES: Well, it's better than Mike Freeman. We have zero confidence in Mike Freeman. But I was not encouraged by Attorney General Ellison's press conference statement, the effect that he would be doing this investigation in cooperation with the county attorney.

We have zero confidence in the county attorney and contrary to what your court national correspondent just said. This isn't just something that occurred because of what he said last week. This goes back decades. Mike Freeman has been in office over the course of several years, and he has refused to prosecute cases of violence against African Americans at the hands of police.

And so Jamal Clark, no indictment. And he even touted last week, Mike Freeman, which was adding insult to injury, alcohol and an open wound that his success touting, the prosecuting police was adjusting Damon case where he prosecuted successfully an African police officer who killed a white woman.

Of course, this came on the heels of failure to prosecute it, bring any charges against the white officers who killed Jamal Clark. So this is a system, a criminal justice system that has been entrenched in racism for many years. And the fact that Keith Ellison is now at the Attorney General's position. We're encouraged by that keeps a friend but it's not enough. We want an independent investigation and special prosecutor.

KEILAR: Yodit, How did you read that? With what Ellison said in the press conference about cooperating with the county on this?

TEWOLDE: You know, I think he's in a position where he needs to -- He feels like he needs to actually have some sort of an olive branch with that local attorney's office there. I understand what the gentleman there said with the trust or lack of trust that they have with Mike Freeman but he did originally had the case.

And the fact that the governor now is appointed that case to Ellison, bring some sort of peace to at least the family who do trust, Mr. Ellison. But listen, this, of course goes back for many, many, you know, years decades of police brutality against black bodies.

This isn't just about George Floyd, these protests are more than just this, this incident and we need to stop looking at it as an isolated incident. And it's not again about George Floyd. It's about Briana Taylor as well, who's the police officers that killed her while she was in her home asleep, are still out there without charge.

This is about a mod armory. The fact that we have to continuously protest and scream and yell at the top of our lungs to have somebody arrested and be account, held accountable is ridiculous. And so yes, there's a frustration level, this is not going to stop even if these other officers in the George Floyd case get arrested.

Even if Chauvin is facing first degree murder instead of third degree murder. This is always going to be something that the country is going to see within the black community because there has to be a stop to racism, white supremacy and police brutality.

KEILAR: Yodit and Steven, thank you so much to both of you for bringing your perspectives. I really appreciate it.

We do have some breaking news. President Trump has heard berating governors in response to protests, calling them weak. Plus police have released body cam video from two officers just fired after a violent arrest. Where does policing in America go from here?

[13:34:54]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: I want to head straight to Minneapolis now and our Sara Sidner who is on the ground there. And Sara tell me exactly what's happening here. It sounds like the family members of George Floyd have arrived. There is this the site where he died. Tell me about this.

[13:40:05]

SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is George Floyd's brother is here. He is surrounded. He has been held up. He just collapsed into his friend's arms as he tried to make his way to the spot where George Floyd lost his life. I'm going to let Stike (ph) go into the crowd, come to my Stike, come with me.

Come with me. You can see him there with the cap on, with the, I can't breathe mask on there. And he barely was able to walk. He literally had to have two people on either side of him holding him up, as he tried to make his way to the spot.

This is hard to watch, I have to say. To the spot where his brother lost his life. He has not been here to see this since and he is now here, praying, praying, praying. He's trying to take this all in. Imagine ending up in the very place where you saw a video of your brother with a police officer's knee on his neck, pushing down for more than seven minutes and then watching him, stop moving, watching him stop moving. His brother is there trying to get a moment of peace here.

Now there's a large crowd here that is here, has been very peaceful and very respectful. But they are walking into the area where George Floyd died. And it's been incredibly difficult. Just seeing the difficulty he had when he got out of the car. It's an emotional moment for everybody here. There are so many people here who have a connection to George Floyd, who recognize him as a friend. But this is his family. This is his family.

KEILAR: And Sara clearly -- clearly Sara, his brother is --

SIDNER: You saw him salute -- Yeah, go ahead, Brianna.

KEILAR: I was just saying that, you know this -- so this is the first time his brother has been there, right?

SIDNER: Yeah, as we understand it, this brother. First time he's been here since the incident happened. Wow, he saluted the mural that's been made for George Floyd. He saw all of the messages and the flowers.

And, you know, if you read some of these, they're beautiful. They are messages, both to the police and to the community and to the family, and to George for himself, even though George Floyd is gone. And you will see people saying, say his name. This was one of those moments that you are rarely privy to, because it's a private moment. But because the public is here, and he wanted to pay his respects. He wanted to be able to be here to feel what this place feels like after the death of his brother. You saw this incredible scene.

I do want to take you now to another incredible moment. And that was the moment that (inaudible) sorry, I'm getting people that want to George Floyd's brothers was able to speak with the police chief who was also out here and by happenstance we happen to be out here. We had no idea that chief was coming out here to pray over the site of a makeshift memorial for George Floyd.

And so, we just happened to be on the air when George Floyd's family was on the air. And this is what transpired as I became a conduit between George Floyd's family and the police chief of Minneapolis with the help of Don Lemon. Here's what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: The Floyd family actually has a question for you. They just talked to me in my ear. I'm sorry. The Floyd family is asking me a question. I apologize. I'm sorry. The Floyd family has asked if you are going to get justice for George Floyd by making sure that the other officers are arrested, and that eventually convicted.

They want, and I know that there are things that you cannot control, but they want to know if the other officers should be arrested in your mind, and if you see that they should all four be convicted in this case?

[13:45:07]

MEDARIA ARRADONDO, MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT CHIEF: And, this is the Floyd family right now?

SIDNER: This is the Floyd family.

ARRADONDO: To the Floyd family, being silent or not intervening to me, you're complicit, so I don't see a level of distinction any different. So obviously, the charging and those decisions will have to come through our county attorney's office.

Certainly, the FBI is investigating that, but to the Floyd family, I want you to know that my decision to fire all four officers was not based on some sort of hierarchy. Mr. Floyd died in our hands, and so, I see that as being complicit.

So that is about as much as I, and I apologize to the Floyd family if I am not more clear, but I don't see a difference in terms of the ultimate outcome is, he is not here with us, and that's the tragedy --

SIDNER: You don't see a difference between what Officer Chauvin did, and the three other officers, some of who kneel down as well, but some of whom just watched. You see that all as the same act? ARRADONDO: Silence and inaction, you're complicit, you're complicit. If there were one solitary voice that would have intervened and act that's what I would have hoped for. Unfortunately --

SIDNER: That's what you would have expected from your officers, yes?

ARRADONDO: Absolutely, and that did not occur, so to the Floyd family, I hope that -- that's my response, yeah.

SIDNER: Thank you so much Chief --

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: And, Philonese, do you have another question? What's your response, to Philonese?

PHILONESE FLOYD, BROTHER OF GEORGE FLOYD: They arrest guys every day. They had enough evidence to fire them, or they have enough evidence to arrest them. I don't know who he's talking to, but I need him to do it, because we all are listening. Black lives matter.

LEMON: Sara, that was an incredible interview that you did and was the first time, you know, I don't -- have you, hang on, Sara. You haven't spoken to anyone at the police department, I'm not sure, to Philonese, correct me if I'm wrong, have you spoken to them directly?

So that was really the first interaction that you've had with the police department since your brother's death. So Sara, in the course of this, this broadcast we have been able to connect the family with the police department through your interview.

SIDNER: That's right. Right for the first time, I can't tell you, Don, what that's doing to me, to hear them have this conversation through me to the chief, sorry to hear the pain and the Floyd family's voice, and have to convey that. I hope that I did the right thing for them, because I know that they are hurting so, so badly. But I do want to recognize that when the police chief every time I said that the Floyd family has a question for you.

LEMON: He took off his hat.

SIDNER: He took his hat off.

LEMON: Yes.

SIDNER: So he wanted to make sure to be respectful. And I know that they are angry. I know you are angry, and I know you are hurting. And I know it's not enough. You cannot bring George Floyd back. But you heard what he said that each and every officer who did not speak up against what was happening is complicit.

This is the police chief saying that. This is the police chief, Don. Have you ever heard that before in your life? I have not. In all of the 12 years I have covered so many protests across the world.

And I have never seen a police chief say this, but I know it doesn't cure the ills that the Floyd family is dealing with and that all the people in this neighborhood are dealing with right now. So I hope and pray that I was able to convey what they wanted to the chief in this first time being able to hear from the chief directly, their questions, their concerns.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: So you heard that for the first time the family was able to talk with someone from the police department and not just someone but the police chief. And the police chief showed such compassion and respect each time I mentioned that, it was the Floyd family that was asking a question. He removed his cap. The people standing around, watch that. And they thanked him for that. They thank the chief for that. Brianna.

KEILAR: Sara Sidner in Minneapolis, thank you so much. And, of course thank you for doing your job with such compassion. We're seeing here the brother George Floyd, and he's there with a friend. And this is, you know, I think Sara, this going back to where this happened, and just being there where his brother was breathing his last breaths.

I can't imagine. I mean, we've seen so much pain playing out all over the country. But this is the origin of it. And this is a family that is dealing with such grief. I just can't even imagine what his brother is going through right now.

[13:50:41]

SIDNER: And it's not just a family. Look at this. Stike turn the turn the camera. Look at this. Look at this. Look what's happening in this neighborhood. Everyone is on their knees as George Floyd's brother is on his needs. Stike is going to come with me and trying to give you a picture and try to give you a picture of what's happening around the corner here.

Now, this is where the crews are pulled up actually on the other side where this is where the incident where you see all those cameras. This is where it happened. And his brother is on his knees, praying and the entire crowd as he got down to pray, got down to pray with him.

Do you hear that silence? I mean, this is a neighborhood full of hundreds of people and the respect they're showing right now.

REVEREND KEVIN MCCALL, ACTIVIST: What he's name?

AUDIENCE: George Floyd.

MCCALL: What he's name?

AUDIENCE: George Floyd.

MCCALL: What he's name?

AUDIENCE: George Floyd.

MCCALL: What he's name?

AUDIENCE: George Floyd. MCCALL: What he's name?

AUDIENCE: George Floyd.

MCCALL: What he's name?

AUDIENCE: George Floyd.

MCCALL: What he's name?

AUDIENCE: George Floyd.

MCCALL: What he's name?

AUDIENCE: George Floyd.

(CROWD CHANTING)

[13:55:00]

MCCALL: Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey. First of all, before I start, let me say one thing to the media. You have to be respectful. I know you want a story, but it's not about your story, so you have to be respectful.

Good afternoon, my brothers and my sisters.

AUDIENCE: Good afternoon.

MCCALL: My white allies, my blue allies that are here today. My name is Reverend Kevin McCall. I'm a civil rights leader in Brooklyn, New York.

AUDIENCE: Thank you for coming.

MCCALL: We came today with a delegation that you will hear from. The delegation consists of Attorney Sanford Rubenstein, community activist Chris Banks, the brother of George Floyd, Terrence Floyd.

AUDIENCE: God bless you.

MCCALL: We came all the way, flew all the way here --

AUDIENCE: Thank you, brother.

MCCALL: -- for simply one message.

AUDIENCE: Yes. Yes, sir.

MCCALL: We came in solidarity of those who are in -- been in the streets peacefully, protesting, simply saying no justice --

AUDIENCE: No peace.

MCCALL: -- and no peace.

AUDIENCE: Yes. That's right. MCCALL: This family is a respectable family.

AUDIENCE: That's right.

MCCALL: This family is a peaceful family.

AUDIENCE: Yes they are.

MCCALL: And as much as outraged as you are, the family is too.

AUDIENCE: That's right.

MCCALL: But you cannot come before the family.

AUDIENCE: That's it. You go speak.

MCCALL: You cannot become before the victim. The family has called for peace.

AUDIENCE: Come on now. Come on.

MCCALL: The family has called for peace.

AUDIENCE: Come on now. Peace.

MCCALL: The family has called for peace.

AUDIENCE: Yes.

MCCALL: The family has called for peace. The family has called for peace.

(APPLAUSE)

MCCALL: We're sending a message to people all over this country to stop looting.

AUDIENCE: Yes.

MCCALL: And throw up the peace sign.

AUDIENCE: Yes.

MCCALL: The power is in the numbers.

AUDIENCE: Come on, brother.

MCCALL: Don't stop protesting, but throw up the peace sign. The family has a long road ahead of justice.

AUDIENCE: Come on.

MCCALL: But just because we're doing it peacefully, that doesn't mean we don't want all four of the officers locked up.

AUDIENCE: That's right. Justice. MCCALL: Lock up all four. Lock up all four. Lock up all four. Lock up all four. Lock up all four. Lock up all four. Lock up all four.

AUDIENCE: Lock up all four. Lock up all four. Lock them all up.

MCCALL: Those are responsible for the murder --

AUDIENCE: Come on now. Yes, sir?

MCCALL: Too many times, the media and the people want to talk about black-on-black crime.

AUDIENCE: Sing. Yes. Tell us that.

MCCALL: And saying, "Oh, it's crime in Minnesota, Minneapolis. It's crime in New York City. It's crime in Chicago."

AUDIENCE: Help.

MCCALL: But guess what, when you do a crime, you do the time.

AUDIENCE: Now you're talking.

MCCALL: The officers did a crime and they deserve to be locked up. And we will not rest until they get locked up.

AUDIENCE: In that order.

MCCALL: Once that happens, if they want peace, we'll give them peace when you give us justice.

AUDIENCE: There you go. There you go. There you go. We want justice.

MCCALL: Just like we have a left hand a right hand, we want peace on the left and justice on the right.

AUDIENCE: There you go.

MCCALL: Peace on the left, justice on the right. Peace on the left, justice on the right. Peace on the left, justice on the right. Peace on the left, justice on the right. Peace on the left, justice on the right.

AUDIENCE: Peace on the left, justice on the right.