New York City Massively Closes Cases Against Marauders Who Trampled City During Protests After Floyd's Assassination

According to NYPD data, with hundreds of alleged looters and vandals arrested in 2020 during protests after the assassination of George Floyd, charges were dropped. The details were told by the publication NBC New York.

In the Bronx, which saw street fires and massive robberies in June 2020, charges were dropped from more than 60% of those detained. Of the 73 arrested in borough, 118 cases were completely closed, and 19 others were convicted on less serious charges, such as illegal entry into someone else's property (instead of robbery or vandalism).

18 cases remain open, the fate of 8 more arrested in borough is still unknown to journalists.

“These numbers are disgusting, to be honest,” said Jessica Betancourt, who owns a looted glasses store in the Bronx. - I was completely shocked that they turn a blind eye to all this. Now these people can do it again because they know they will not receive the punishment they deserve. "

In Manhattan, where marauders raged in Soho and Midtown, 222 of the 485 arrested were completely closed, 73 people were convicted on less serious charges. 128 criminal cases remain open, and 40 juvenile defendants have been referred to family court.

Sources in the district attorney's offices explained that in many cases there was not enough evidence to support the prosecution, so the cases were closed. In addition, the departments referred to the inability to fully work due to restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the same time, the former chief of the New York police patrol, Wilbur Chapman, said that the district attorneys' offices and courts "allowed people who committed crimes to get away from punishment."

“If they are so overwhelmed with work that they cannot handle the mission for which they were hired, then perhaps they should find another line of work,” Chapman said.

On the subject: Rampant crime in New York: how bail cancellation law made police powerless against violators

Meanwhile, on June 20, the two top New York mayoral candidates from the Democratic Party opposed the closure of the cases.

“Everyone needs to be safe in their communities and store owners need to know that their property will be protected,” said Catherine Garcia.

Andrew Young echoed her idea: "While the vast majority of protesters in the past year did so peacefully, those who broke the law, broke windows, destroyed small businesses and acted violently and recklessly should be held accountable."

Eric Adams, a former NYPD captain who is positioning himself as a law enforcement candidate, did not respond when asked to close the cases.

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• On May 27, 2020, George Floyd, an African American from Minneapolis, died after a Minneapolis police officer strangled him with his knee. Officer Derek Chauvin was fired and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter; three other officers also lost their jobs. Protests and riots subsequently eruptedand in Minneapolis and throughout the country, including New York.
• On June 4, 2020, former Minneapolis police officers identified as accomplices in the murder of George Floyd during his arrest, taken into custody.
• On April 6, 2021, Derek Chauvin's lawyer presented a video in court. The footage reveals that the officer did not actually choke Floyd with his knee, as previously thought. The video was filmed with a chest camera of one of the police officers involved in the arrest of Floyd. On frames You can seethat Chauvin's knee rests not on Floyd's neck, but on his back.
• As a result, the jury in the USA found police officer Derek Chauvin guilty in the murder of African American George Floyd.