George Floyd murder: Joe Biden thinks bar is too high for convicting violent police officers

Name: ‘We’re able to breathe again’, say George Floyd supporters as Derek Chauvin found guilty of murder
Uploaded: 2021-04-21T22:51:15.000Z
Duration: 3 min 47 s
Description: ‘We’re able to breathe again’, say George Floyd supporters as Derek Chauvin found guilty of murder

The US president will push for police reform during a major speech to mark his first 100 days in office

Justice Department launches investigation into Minneapolis’ policing practices after ex-officer Derek Chauvin is found guilty of Floyd’s murder

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A protester poses stands next to a burning police vehicle in Los Angeles in May 2020 during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd. Photo: AP

Reuters

Published: 6:51am, 22 Apr 2021Updated: 6:51am, 22 Apr 2021

US President Joe Biden thinks “the bar is too high” for convicting violent police officers and will use his speech to Congress next week to push for reform, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

“He believes the bar for convicting officers is too high,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. “It needs to be changed.”

Reform efforts are in focus following Tuesday’s conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the May 2020 death of George Floyd.

Psaki said Biden backs a bill that would ban chokeholds and require that deadly force only be used as a last resort in arrests.

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‘We’re able to breathe again’, say George Floyd supporters as Derek Chauvin found guilty of murder

That bill has passed in the House of Representatives, in which Biden’s Democrats hold a clear majority, but faces rough sledding in the closely divided Senate.

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