George Floyd was a criminal

Empathy is easily misplaced under constant bombardment of sensationalist news. Those practicing integrity in journalism may find themselves outshined by social media users much closer to the source. This was the case with George Floyd. Impressions of the footage depicting his struggle against the excessive force of Officer Derek Chauvin were largely formed before a word of analysis could be made. Subsequent reports were prone to reflect this immediate emotional response as much as the known facts.^[1] As a result, key information was omitted. Often this was done consciously to support the Black Lives Matter narrative- the collective had, after all, promptly assimilated the death into their cause. What was not widely circulated was information on George Floyd’s substance abuse and criminal background. Media noted the counterfeit but ignored past offenses, including an aggravated armed robbery of a woman, resulting in a five-year sentence. His consistent re-offenses raise questions about his portrayal as a redeemed character deserving of empathy.^[2] Relevant is Floyd’s autopsy, which reveals a ‘fatal level of fentanyl’ present in his bloodstream and that he had recently used methamphetamine at the time of his arrest.^[3] His drug-addled, erratic behavior and refusal to comply with simple orders (emphasized by later released body-cam footage) suggests that the four officers did not have a clear-cut method of dealing with him.^[4] The longer video also disproves that the officers rapidly escalated the situation. This may not exonerate Chauvin but does diminish accusations that his temperament was rash and motives were sinister. Most can agree that the homicide was unjustified. But George Floyd was a violent criminal, so perhaps it should come as less of a shock that he met a violent end.

[P1] Viral news/media can lead to a passionate response, which often disregards the full context. [P2] George Floyd’s suspicious, criminal, and erratic behavior explains his treatment as a threat.