MORROW, Ga. (AP) — A specially appointed prosecutor said Tuesday that he will not pursue any charges against the Atlanta police officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks more than two years ago.

Pete Skandalakis, executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, announced that he won’t pursue charges against Garrett Rolfe, the white officer who shot and killed the 27-year-old Black man in June 2020.

Skandalakis was appointed last year to take over the case after a judge allowed Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to recuse herself and her office. Willis had cited concerns about the actions of her predecessor, Paul Howard, who announced a murder charge against Rolfe less than a week after the shooting.

Police responded on June 12, 2020, to complaints of a man sleeping in a car in the drive-thru lane of a Wendy's restaurant. Police body camera video shows the two officers having a calm conversation with Brooks for more than 40 minutes. Then, when the officers told Brooks he'd had too much to drink to be driving and tried to arrest him, Brooks resisted in a struggle caught on dash camera video. Brooks grabbed a Taser from one of the officers and fled, firing it at Rolfe as he ran. Rolfe fired his gun, and an autopsy found that Brooks was shot twice in the back.

The two officers' lawyers have said their actions were justified and both were released on bond.

The shooting happened against the backdrop of heightened tensions and protests nationwide in wake of the death of George Floyd under the knee of a police officer in Minneapolis less than three weeks earlier.

Sometimes-violent protests over Floyd's death had largely subsided in Atlanta, but Brooks' killing set off a new round of demonstrations against police brutality. Police Chief Erika Shields resigned less than 24 hours after Brooks died. Protesters set fire to the Wendy's restaurant, which was later demolished.

Rolfe was fired a day after the shooting, but his dismissal was overturned in May 2021 by the Atlanta Civil Service Board. The board found that the city failed to follow its own procedures for disciplinary actions.

Five days after Brooks was killed, then-Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard held a dramatic news conference to announce charges against Rolfe and Brosnan. Rolfe's charges included felony murder, aggravated assault and violation of his oath. Brosnan was charged with aggravated assault and violating his oath.

Two months later, Howard lost the Democratic primary in his bid for reelection. Just weeks after taking office in January 2021, his successor, Fani Willis, asked Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr to reassign the case.

Willis, who has since gained national attention for her investigation into whether former President Donald Trump and others illegally tried to influence the outcome of the 2020 election in Georgia, cited concerns about Howard's actions.

Howard’s conduct, “including using video evidence in campaign television advertisements,” may have violated Georgia Bar rules, Willis argued in a letter to Carr. She also noted that Carr had asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to look into whether Howard improperly issued grand jury subpoenas in the Rolfe case. Howard has denied wrongdoing.

Noah Pines, an attorney for Rolfe, had also filed a motion to disqualify the Fulton County district attorney's office from the case.

Carr initially refused to reassign the case, but in July 2021 appointed Skandalakis to take it over after Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Christopher Brasher found there was a conflict of interest and granted a request from Willis to recuse her office.

Attempts by two police departments to celebrate Black History Month are generating criticism online.

The Columbus Division of Police unveiled "History 1" this month. The police cruiser features red, black, green and yellow striping. It says "Black History Month" on the hood and there is a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the back windshield.

"Be the peace you wish to see in the world," the quote says.

People online were quick to criticize the vehicle considering the current climate surrounding policing and communities of color. One user pointed to statistics from policescorecard.org, which show the Columbus Police has been involved in 48 police killings between 2013 and 2021.

Another user pointed to a study that shows Columbus Police disproportionally used force on Black residents between 2017 and 2019.

Despite the criticism, Columbus Police said the cruiser will be in neighborhoods and at community events throughout the month.

The Miami Police Department also faced criticism after unveiling its Black History Month vehicle.

Many people responded to pictures the department posted on Twitter, claiming the vehicle was in poor taste.

"This is such a horrible look. I can't even imagine how this got approved," a user wrote.

The police department said some of the force's first Black police officers were at the unveiling. Additionally, the Miami Community Police Benevolent Association, a predominantly Black police union, was part of the event, which it called a "celebration."

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A jury found three fired Minneapolis police officers guilty of violating George Floyd’s civil rights on Thursday.

The jury’s verdict came two days of deliberations in the federal case against Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane.

The former officers were charged with depriving Floyd of his right to medical care when fellow Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into the 46-year-old Black man’s neck for 9 1/2 minutes. Chauvin was previously found guilty on state murder charges. He pleaded guilty in the federal civil rights case.

Kueng and Thao were also charged with failing to intervene to stop Chauvin during the May 25, 2020, videotaped killing that triggered protests worldwide and a reexamination of racism and policing.

Thao held back bystanders. Kueng and Lane helped restrain Floyd.

The all-white jury was made up of eight women and four men, according to ABC News.

The ex-officers face up to life in prison; however, CNN reports that sentencing guidelines suggest they will serve a lesser sentence.

Three Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights sat by and “chose to do nothing” as Floyd pleaded for air and then went silent, a federal prosecutor said Tuesday at the start of closing arguments in their trial.

Prosecutor Manda Sertich singled out each former officer — Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane — as the state wrapped up its monthlong case.

All three are charged with depriving Floyd of his right to medical care as Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for 9 1/2 minutes. Lane held the 46-year-old Black man’s feet, Kueng knelt on his back and Thao held back bystanders.

Kueng and Thao are also charged with failing to intervene to stop Chauvin during the May 25, 2020, killing that triggered protests worldwide and a reexamination of racism and policing.

“Make no mistake, this is a crime.” Sertich told jurors.

Chauvin pleaded guilty in the federal case in December, months after he was convicted of state murder and manslaughter charges.

Closing arguments in the current trial were expected to take most of Tuesday before the case goes to the jury, which appears to be mostly white.

The trial was wrapping up just as another major civil rights trial in Georgia resulted in the conviction of three white men on hate crimes charges in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was chased and shot in February 2020.

In the Minnesota trial, prosecutors have argued that the officers violated their training by not rolling Floyd onto his side or giving him CPR. They said at the start of the trial that the officers stood by as Chauvin slowly killed Floyd in front of them.

They presented weeks of testimony and evidence about the officers’ training, arguing that they knew they had a duty to intervene to stop Chauvin and render medical aid. Prosecutors have argued that Floyd’s condition was so serious that even bystanders without basic medical training could see he needed help.

Defense attorneys argued that the Minneapolis Police Department’s training was inadequate. They also attacked a police culture that they said teaches officers to defer to their seniors, saying that Chauvin called all the shots at the scene. Lane and Kueng, who were both rookies, argued that they deferred to Chauvin.

Lane testified that he asked twice if Floyd should be rolled over but was rebuffed, and that he held his position because an ambulance was on the way.

Kueng testified that Chauvin was his former training officer and that he had considerable sway over his career. He said he trusted Chauvin’s advice.

Thao testified that he was watching the bystanders and he trusted that the officers behind him were caring for Floyd.

At the start of the monthlong trial, U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson selected 18 jurors, including six alternates. Fifteen people now remain — 12 who will deliberate and three alternates. The court did not release demographic information, but the jury appeared largely white, with one woman who appeared to be of Asian descent, among the 12 expected to deliberate.

Lane, who is white, Kueng, who is Black, and Thao, who is Hmong American, also face a separate trial in June on state charges alleging that they aided and abetted murder and manslaughter.

SAINT PAUL, Minn. —

Three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights did nothing to intervene as fellow officer Derek Chauvin pinned the Black man’s neck to the street, a prosecutor told jurors Monday as the federal trial began.

“For second after second, minute after minute, these three CPR-trained defendants stood and knelt next to ... Chauvin as he … killed George Floyd right in front of them,” prosecutor Samantha Trepel said during opening statements got underway in the officers' federal trial.

J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are broadly charged with depriving Floyd of his civil rights while acting under government authority. All three are charged for failing to provide Floyd with medical care. Thao and Kueng face an additional count for failing to stop Chauvin, who was convicted of murder and manslaughter in state court last year.

Defense attorneys planned to give opening statements later Monday.

Legal experts say prosecutors must prove Kueng, Lane and Thao willfully violated Floyd’s constitutional rights, while defense attorneys are likely to blame Chauvin for Floyd's murder, which was videotaped and triggered worldwide protests, violence and a reexamination of racism and policing.

Floyd, 46, died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin pressed him to the ground with his knee on Floyd’s neck for 9 1/2 minutes while Floyd was facedown, handcuffed and gasping for air. Kueng knelt on Floyd’s back and Lane held down his legs. Thao kept bystanders from intervening.

Attorneys for the Floyd family have said bystander video shows that the three officers “directly contributed to (Floyd’s) death and failed to intervene to stop the senseless murder.”

Last week, 18 people were swiftly chosen for the jury; 12 will deliberate and six will be alternates. Two of the jurors — one expected to deliberate and one alternate — appear to be of Asian descent. The rest appear to be white. The jurors include people from the Twin Cities area, the suburbs and southern Minnesota. The court declined to provide demographic information.

Federal prosecutions of officers involved in on-duty killings are rare. Prosecutors face a high legal standard to show that an officer willfully deprived someone of their constitutional rights. Essentially, prosecutors must prove that the officers knew what they were doing was wrong, but did it anyway.

The indictment charges Thao, who is Hmong American; Lane, who is white; and Kueng, who is Black, with willfully depriving Floyd of the right to be free from an officer’s deliberate indifference to his medical needs. The indictment says the three men saw Floyd clearly needed medical care and failed to aid him.

Thao and Kueng are also charged with a second count alleging they willfully violated Floyd’s right to be free from unreasonable seizure by not stopping Chauvin as he knelt on Floyd’s neck. It’s not clear why Lane is not mentioned in that count, but evidence shows he asked twice whether Floyd should be rolled on his side.

Both counts allege the officers’ actions resulted in Floyd’s death.

U.S. District Judge Magnuson told jurors that the trial could last four weeks. It’s not known whether any of the three officers will testify. It’s also not clear whether Chauvin will testify, though many experts who spoke to The Associated Press believe he won't.

Lane, Kueng and Thao also face a separate state trial in June on charges they aided and abetted both murder and manslaughter.

___

Associated Press writers Tammy Webber contributed from Fenton, Michigan.

ST. PAUL, Minn. —

Jury selection began Thursday in the federal trial for three former Minneapolis police officers who are charged with violating George Floyd's constitutional rights while fellow Officer Derek Chauvin used his knee to pin the Black man to the street.

J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are broadly charged with depriving Floyd of his civil rights while acting under government authority. Separately, they're charged in state court with aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter.

Legal experts say the federal trial will be more complicated than the state trial, scheduled for June 13, because prosecutors in this case have the difficult task of proving the officers willfully violated Floyd's constitutional rights — unreasonably seizing him and depriving him of liberty without due process.

"In the state case, they're charged with what they did. That they aided and abetted Chauvin in some way. In the federal case, they're charged with what they didn't do — and that's an important distinction. It's a different kind of accountability," said Mark Osler, a former federal prosecutor and professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law.

Phil Turner, another former federal prosecutor, said prosecutors must show the officers should have done something to stop Chauvin, rather than show they did something directly to Floyd.

Would-be jurors have already answered an extensive questionnaire, and were being brought into a federal courtroom in St. Paul in groups, where U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson was questioning them. The process will continue until a group of 40 is chosen. Then, each side will get to use their challenges to strike jurors. In the end, 18 jurors will be picked, including 12 who will deliberate and six alternates.

The judge told potential jurors they should let him know if any responses to their questionnaires have changed. He also asked each to stand and talk about themselves, including where they live, their job history, education, military service, hobbies and families.

He also acknowledged the media attention on the case, saying, "I'm sure all of you know something about what happened to George Floyd."

Magnuson has said he believes jury selection could be done in two days, unlike the state trial for Chauvin, where the judge and attorneys questioned each juror individually and spent more than two weeks picking a panel.

He said the trial is expected to last four weeks.

Floyd, 46, died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin pinned him to the ground with his knee on Floyd's neck for 9 1/2 minutes while Floyd was facedown, handcuffed and gasping for air. Kueng knelt on Floyd's back and Lane held down his legs. Thao kept bystanders from intervening.

Chauvin was convicted in April on state charges of murder and manslaughter and is serving a 22½-year sentence. In December, he pleaded guilty to a federal count of violating Floyd's rights.

Federal prosecutions of officers involved in on-duty killings are rare. Prosecutors face a high legal standard to show that an officer willfully deprived someone of their constitutional rights; an accident, bad judgment or negligence isn't enough to support federal charges.

Essentially, prosecutors must prove that the officers knew what they were doing was wrong, but did it anyway.

Kueng, Lane and Thao are all charged with willfully depriving Floyd of the right to be free from an officer's deliberate indifference to his medical needs. The indictment says the three men saw Floyd clearly needed medical care and failed to aid him.

Thao and Kueng are also charged with a second count alleging they willfully violated Floyd's right to be free from unreasonable seizure by not stopping Chauvin as he knelt on Floyd's neck. It's not clear why Lane is not mentioned in that count, but evidence shows he asked twice whether Floyd should be rolled on his side.

Both counts allege the officers' actions resulted in Floyd's death.

Federal civil rights violations that result in death are punishable by up to life in prison or even death, but those stiff sentences are extremely rare and federal sentencing guidelines rely on complicated formulas that indicate the officers would get much less if convicted.

"This trial is going to present an evolutionary step beyond what we saw at the Chauvin trial because we're not looking at the killer, but the people who enable the killer. And that gets a step closer to the culture of the department," Osler said.

___

Associated Press writer Tammy Webber contributed from Fenton, Michigan.

Over the last two years, we’ve seen a rise in social justice movements dealing with race and policing.

These issues took center stage this year in high-profile court cases, and experts say they could have an impact on legislation and elections in 2022.

In 2021, we saw trials, stemming from the deadly police incidents that sparked protests.

The convictions of former Minnesota police officers Derek Chauvin and Kim Potter grabbed the nation’s attention. A jury found Chauvin guilty on all charges in the death of George Floyd. A jury found Potter guilty of manslaughter in the death of Daunte Wright.

"This is certainly the year where we’re seeing some type of police accountability," said Jason Williams, an associate professor of Justice Studies at Montclair State University.

He said these verdicts will keep social justice in the spotlight for 2022

However, Williams said another big verdict - the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse - is sure to have an impact in the new year, too.

"It seems to give the green light to far-right vigilantes to attend these types of demonstrations," he said. "We may see more of those instances."

Rittenhouse successfully claimed self-defense after shooting and killing two people in Kenosha, Wisconsin and injuring a third during civil unrest following a police shooting.

"I think going into the next year we really need to pay closer attention to it, especially given the Rittenhouse verdict," Williams said.

The professor also predicts it could bring proposals for changes to gun laws and even self-defense laws at the state level in the new year.

"It's hard to decipher sometimes between the rhetoric, meaning like is the politician just going to sprout rhetoric or are they actually going to do something about it," Williams said.

When it comes to the 2022 midterm elections, Williams said all of these cases will continue to play out in a big way.

"Unfortunately, policing issues continue to be a very big political wedge and both parties will tend to use them to their advantage to gain some type of movement with their base," he said.

There’s another big topic leading up to the midterms.

"Voter rights are being shown to be sort of the quintessential issue, especially as the January 6th fiasco continues to unravel," Williams said.

Williams said political parties will likely rally even more to get supporters to the polls.

He adds other social justice issues like the student loan debt crisis, the fight over K-12 education curriculum and women’s rights will likely get more attention in 2022 as well.

"I do think going into this next year there’s going to be some pressures from all kinds of advocacy groups,” Williams said.

AUSTIN, Texas —

Doling out pardons is a holiday tradition for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who around every Christmas grants them to a handful of ordinary citizens, typically for minor offenses committed years or decades ago.

But one name stands out on his desk: George Floyd.

Related video above: AP reporter on Derek Chauvin's guilty plea

Abbott has not said whether he will posthumously pardon Floyd this year for a 2004 drug arrest in Houston by a former officer whose police work is no longer trusted by prosecutors. Texas' parole board — stacked with Abbott appointees — unanimously recommended a pardon for Floyd in October.

Since then, the two-term Republican governor, who is up for reelection in 2022, has given no indication of whether he will grant what would be only the second posthumous pardon in Texas history. Floyd, who was Black, spent much of his life in Houston before moving to Minnesota, where his death under the knee of a white police officer last year led to a U.S. reckoning on race and policing.

"It doesn't matter who you think George Floyd was, or what you think he stood for or didn't stand for," said Allison Mathis, a public defender in Houston who submitted Floyd's pardon application. "What matters is he didn't do this. It's important for the governor to correct the record to show he didn't do this."

A spokeswoman for Abbott did not respond to requests for comment.

Pardons restore the rights of the convicted and forgive them in the eyes of the law. Floyd's family and supporters said a posthumous pardon for him in Texas would show a commitment to accountability.

In February 2004, Floyd was arrested in Houston for selling $10 worth of crack in a police sting. He pleaded guilty to a drug charge and served 10 months in prison.

His case happened to be among dozens that prosecutors revisited in the fallout over a deadly drug raid in 2019 that resulted in murder charges against an officer, Gerald Goines, who is no longer with the Houston force. Prosecutors say Goines lied to obtain a search warrant in the 2019 raid that left a husband and wife dead, and the office of Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg has since dismissed more than 160 drug convictions tied to Goines.

Goines has pleaded not guilty and his attorneys accuse Ogg of launching the review for political gain.

Abbott has several primary challengers from the far right, and his ongoing silence about a potential pardon for Floyd has raised questions by Mathis and others over whether political calculations are at play. His office has not responded to those charges.

Abbott attended Floyd's memorial service last year in Houston, where he met with the family and floated the idea of a "George Floyd Act" that would take aim at police brutality. But Abbott never publicly supported such a measure months later when lawmakers returned to the Capitol, where Republicans instead made police funding a priority.

State Sen. Royce West, a Democrat who carried the "George Floyd Act" in the Senate, said he understands the politics if Abbott was waiting until after the GOP primary elections in March. But he said the governor should act on the recommendation.

"As he's always said, he is a law and order governor," West said. "And this would be following the law."

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Protests erupted nationwide in response to George Floyd's death after Minneapolis police officers knelt on him and pinned him to the ground on May 25. In Columbus, those protests began Thursday night and lasted into Friday morning, ending with damage to the Ohio Statehouse and other downtown buildings.

Thursday night saw a heavy police presence as the protest escalated -- where pedestrians were barred from joining the protest as it began to grow.

Ben Asks a Question is a feature we started as a way to help give you a voice during Gov. Mike DeWine's daily press briefings. Since then, Ben has gotten hundreds of questions a day. If you'd like to ask a question, find us on Facebook and feel free to message us there, or send us an email at newsdesk@wcpo.com.

At his press briefing Friday, I asked Gov. Mike DeWine if similar protest precautions to the ones taken in Columbus are being planned in other Ohio cities as more protests remain a possibility.

DeWine said local mayors are the ones responsible for their cities, but his administration will be ready to help if needed.

“I’ve had the opportunity every day to talk, most days, to talk to the mayors of our major cities,” said DeWine. “They are the ones that have primary responsibility for their cities. But they know that if they need assistance and help, we will work with them on any issue, certainly including this issue. But I know that we have good mayors; they’re very concerned about making sure that things are always done right in their cities. So I have confidence in these mayors. We are in touch. It’s not like we don’t talk, so certainly the first line of responsibility is with their police department, and with those mayors."

Friday’s press briefing was DeWine’s first briefing not related to COVID-19 since the state began ordering businesses to shut down.

DeWine said the actions of police involved in Floyd’s death “violates every principle of human decency" and "any kind of basic police training."

He is scheduled to address the public next on Tuesday, June 2.

CINCINNATI — Protests in response to the death of George Floyd remained peaceful in Cincinnati until about 11:00 p.m. Friday, when police administered smoke canisters around protesters and some demonstrators began smashing out windows of businesses in Over-The-Rhine.

Eleven people had been arrested during violence and property destruction lasting until 5 a.m., Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac said at a Saturday press conference. Their charges ranged from burglary to resisting arrest, theft and more.

Isaac said as people threw rocks and bottles, multiple rounds of pepper ball irritant and gas were used to disperse crowds. Two officers had minor injuries.

WCPO’s Jasmine Minor said some small boutique owners near the corner of 12th Street and Vine Street will have to spend Saturday morning dealing with the broken glass in their shops and on the sidewalks. The extent of that damage around the neighborhood is still unclear.

According to WCPO’s Courtney Francisco, some threw large rocks at police cars and slit the tires on a police cruiser. The main group of protesters who started the night before around 6:00 p.m. condemned the actions of these individuals, saying they want their message against police brutality to be heard.

Most of the damage was limited to the windows of shops and boutiques, and several stores were looted overnight.

Peacefully, some lined up in front of police on their knees while others chanted. Police eventually threw smoke canisters to clear out violent crowds while other demonstrators caused damage to area businesses for hours into the night.

Isaac said he stands with protesters outraged at the death of Floyd and others at the hands of police, but he is urging people to be respectful of property and others.

“Feel free to come out and express your right to a peaceful demonstration, but respect people’s property, respect each other's physical person. Make sure everyone is safe,” Isaac said. “We are still in a pandemic. This was a large crowd of people in very close proximity. It’s very concerning.”

Other organizers planned to hold peaceful protests Saturday in Washington Park and Lincoln Statue Park in Avondale. A protest in Northside’s Jacob Hoffner park has been canceled -- organizers said they want everyone to stay home and stay safe.

Mayor John Cranley has ordered a curfew for Downtown and Over-The-Rhine starting at 10 p.m. Saturday and ending 6 a.m. Sunday.

ONGOING COVERAGE

A person who was participating in anti-police brutality protests in St. Louis was killed earlier Saturday morning when he was run over by a FedEx truck.

KSDK-TV

and

KMOV-TV

in St. Louis both confirm that the incident began when a two-trailer FedEx semi was re-routed off of a local highway when it was shut down by protesters.

After leaving the highway, another group of protesters forced the truck to crawl to a stop. KMOV reports that some rioters attempted to grab packages off the back of the truck.

At that point, two men climbed onto the passenger side of the truck. That's when police say the men flashed their guns to the driver.

The driver sounded his horn and tried to drive away. Police say the driver wasn't aware that there was a man between the trailers at the time he started driving. That man fell and became trapped under the truck.

Bystander video shows others screaming and yelling, trying to tell the driver he was dragging a man under his truck.

FedEx released a statement Saturday.

"Our hearts go out to all those who are grieving the events of this week," the company said. "We are deeply saddened to learn of a tragic situation involving a demonstrator in St. Louis and one of our vehicles. We offer our sincerest condolences to the family of the individual involved. There is no higher priority for FedEx than safety, and we are cooperating fully with the investigating authorities at this time."

DENVER, Colo. – Powerful images emerged from downtown Denver on Saturday.

Hundreds of people protesting police brutality lay face down at the Colorado state capitol to honor George Floyd, the Minneapolis man who died in police custody last Monday.

The unique demonstration mirrored the position Floyd was in during his final moments, face down against pavement.

A viral video of the 46-year-old’s arrest shows a police officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck as he gasped for air and said “I can’t breathe” before he lost consciousness. He was pronounced dead at an area hospital shortly after.

The officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck, Derek Chauvin, was arrested and charged with the man’s murder on Friday.

Chauvin and three other officers have also been fired from the Minneapolis Police Department for their role in Floyd’s death, but many say it’s not enough and they want to see the other officers face charges as well.

Saturday's protest in Denver was one of many across the country demanding justice for Floyd. It began peacefully but turned tense during the evening hours.

There were several small fires and instances of fireworks. Crowds of protesters built makeshift fences to try to hold their ground as officers began to enforce an 8 p.m. curfew put in place by the mayor.

Police say they ended up

arresting 83 people




for curfew violations throughout the night and some of those detained had additional charges for throwing missiles, damaging property and having prohibited weapons.

Three Denver police officers and a civilian were also

severely injured






after a car struck a police vehicle




Saturday night, according to police.

Former President Barack Obama will address the massive anti-police brutality protests that have been sparked by the death of George Floyd on camera on Wednesday.

Obama's comments will come during the My Brother's Keeper Alliance Town Hall Series. He'll be joined by police reform activists and public figures, including former Attorney General Eric Holder.

The stream will mark Obama's first on-camera comments since Floyd's death while in police custody sent shockwaves through the U.S. and inspired peaceful protests in dozens of major cities — some of which have developed into riots.

Obama previously addressed Floyd's death and protest movement

in an essay published Monday.

In that essay, Obama condemned violent protests, lauded those who were demonstrating peacefully and outlined ways that protesters could appropriately affect change in their communities.

My Brother's Keeper Alliance

is an arm of the Obama Foundation that aims to inspire young men of color in America by building safe and supportive communities and give them a chance for success.

Obama's comments will be streamed

live on his website

beginning at 5 p.m. ET.

• If a student-athlete, coach or support staff member tests positive for COVID-19, they will enter the quarantine protocol per medical, local/state health department and university guidelines and will begin to receive the appropriate monitoring and treatment from the team physician, athletic training staff and any other medical consultants.
• The positive student-athlete will be moved to separate housing designated by OSU for quarantine purposes.
• Appropriate contact tracing as per local/state health department and university guidelines will begin and all that have been in contact will be instructed to quarantine and have symptoms monitored for a period determined by health and medical officials. Contact tracing will begin with the student-athlete’s cohort/workout group.
• After the determined quarantine time, if the traced contact group is not showing symptoms, they will be retested for COVID-19 prior to resuming activities. Upon receiving a negative test, they will await specific instructions from the team physician and/or the athletic training staff regarding a return to activities.
• Upon recognition of symptomatic student-athletes and/or staff in the west end zone facility, the person will immediately be referred and directed to OSU University Health Services (or Stillwater Medical Center if after working hours) for evaluation, testing and treatment.
• If needed, transportation to University Health Services or Stillwater Medical Center for symptomatic student-athletes will be provided from athletic training staff wearing appropriate personal protective equipment.

Ogbongbemiga finished with 100 total tackles, five sacks and one interception last year for the Cowboys.

The Tulsa Health Department sent 2 Works for You the following statement:

The Tulsa Health Department respects those exercising their right for peaceful assembly. Crowds and large gatherings can be a conduit for the transmission of COVID-19, which is spreading in our community. All residents are encouraged to exercise their right to gather and protest safely, which includes wearing a cloth face covering to protect those around you, use hand sanitizer when soap and water are not readily available, practice social distancing, and avoid touching your face. We want to encourage residents to use their voice, but do so safely.

Today, we reported an additional 34 cases and three deaths in our community, bringing the cumulative total to 1,057 and 57 respectively.

This story was originally reported by KJRH's Jacob Tobey.

A police chief in

Michigan

is on paid administrative leave while officials investigate whether he authored tweets that promoted police brutality.

Before the Twitter account @sheepdawg711 was deleted, it featured Shelby Township Chief Robert J. Shelide’s name and likeness.

The charged tweets that are now being investigated targeted those who’ve taken to the streets across America, protesting police brutality following the brutal death of George Floyd caught on video.

“Trump threatening to deploy the military,” read one tweet. “I have a better idea: unleash the real cops and let them take care of these barbarians. I promise it will be over in 24 hours.”

In another tweet about looters in New York City, @sheepdawg711 wrote: “Wild savages. I wish to God I would have been there. Body bags for these vicious subhumans. Oh, on another note, I dare you to try and drag me out of my vehicle.”

The township said they learned of the tweets this morning.

“Shelby Township is aware of allegations made against Police Chief Robert Shelide,” said Community Relations Director Brad Bates. “Shelby Township follows our country’s principles of equal protection under the law, freedom of speech, freedom of expression, due process and the presumption of innocence.”

Repeated voicemails and text messages left on Shelide’s cell phone have not been returned.

Just before 5 p.m. Thursday, the township board voted unanimously to place Shelide on administrative leave pending an investigation.

“Has anyone asked the chief, did you send these tweets,” asked Channel 7’s Ross Jones.

“I don’t know what stage the investigation or the information gathering process is at,” Bates replied.

As recently as May 7, Shelby Township’s own police department Twitter account referred to the @sheepdawg711 as “Boss” in a tweet about wearing masks.

Reached by phone today, Trustee John Vermeulen said he was skeptical that Shelide wrote the tweets.

“I don’t think he would say anything like that,” Vermeulen said.

“Chief Shelide is pretty reserved and I would be very surprised and I doubt he would say something like that," he said. "I think someone is spoofing it to try and deny him his reputation. He is very well liked by the citizens, and I don’t think he would say anything like that."

If Shelide did write the tweets, Vermeulen would not comment on whether he should keep his job.

He later voted in favor of placing Shelide on administrative leave.

TAMPA, Fla. — At a Tampa mall on May 30, Hillsborough County Deputy William Scobie was on the frontline as hundreds of rioters put on a relentless attack lasting several hours.

The violence came in waves. Periods of calm were followed by coordinated attacks on Hillsborough County deputies and Tampa police standing in front of University Mall.

At one point, law enforcement deployed tear gas, clearing the crowd. Once the wind carried the choking fumes out of the area, more and more people began to show up. Heavily outnumbered and overwhelmed, law enforcement did everything they could to protect themselves and prevent more violence.

As law enforcement scanned the crowd and sky for objects, they couldn't look everywhere.

"Nothing real violent was going on for about probably 15 minutes or so," deputy Scobie said. "And then, all of a sudden, I took a beer bottle to the face. When the bottle exploded, it caused my head to drop down; there was about three inches of my neck that was unprotected when I looked down. And, it was a lucky shot that got me right in that three inches."

Scobie said he doesn't remember anything after the brick hit his neck.

"It actually hit my carotid artery, which caused me to lose temporary consciousness," Scobie said. "I just remember waking up on the ground. The deputies were asking me where I was shot. They thought I was shot. I was just telling them I got hit with a brick and couldn't feel my arms and my legs. And, they rushed me to try and evacuate me out of there. With the amount of people and stuff that were around, it was hard to get me outta there, so there were two Tampa police officers that had a car they threw me in the back of the car and the Tampa police actually evacuated me to the hospital."

For more roughly seven hours, Scobie was checked out at the hospital.

"I got feeling back in legs pretty quick. My right arm took about two hours. My left arm, I suffered a pinched nerve, and it was swollen. So, I had no feeling in my left arm for almost 24 hours, and I had a pretty significant bruise on my neck," he said.

Scobie said he's wanted to be in law enforcement since he was 5 years old. After eight years in the military, he joined the sheriff's office. In 2018, Scobie was honored with the Tampa Police Chief's Appreciation Award after helping track a murder suspect.

On June 24, 2018, Scobie's neighbor, 42-year-old Pedro Aguerreberry, was riding bikes on a bike trail with his two children when a car veered over the grass and onto the bike trail, hitting and killing Aguerreberry and injuring his two sons, ages 3 and 8. Mikese Morse, the suspect driver, was arrested and charged in the incident.

Scobie heard the call and tracked down the car police say Morse was driving and eventually leading to an arrest.

Morse was found incompetent to stand trial.

Scobie said he loves his job and wants the public to know he is human, has a family, and only wants to serve and protect his community.

Two days after Scobie was hit by the brick, he was back at work patrolling the streets.

"When we show up on a call, just give us the benefit of the doubt. Know that it truly is our goal to help you in any way we can without getting into a fight, without being injured, without causing any injuries," Scobie said. "If I could deal with 20 people a day and every one of them says 'thank you,' it's a good day. And, that's truly what we come to work for."

This story was originally published by Michael Paluska at WFTS.

The Texas State Board of Pardons and Paroles voted unanimously Monday to recommend a full posthumous pardon of George Floyd for a 2004 drug conviction, according to hearing minutes provided by the board to CNN.An application for the pardon was filed in April on behalf of Floyd and his surviving family. In the application, Allison Mathis of the Harris County Public Defender's Office said the request was filed because the arresting officer in Floyd's case, Gerald Goines, "manufactured the existence of confidential informants to bolster his cases against innocent defendants."Floyd died in May 2020 after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes. Chauvin was found guilty of Floyd's murder in April and was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison in June."We lament the loss of former Houstonian George Floyd and hope that his family finds comfort in Monday's decision by the Texas State Board of Pardons and Paroles to recommend clemency for a 2004 conviction involving former Houston Police Department Officer Gerald Goines," Kim Ogg, the Harris County district attorney, said in a statement.The ultimate decision on whether to grant Floyd clemency rests with Gov. Greg Abbott, Ogg said. CNN has reached out to the governor's office for comment on whether a pardon will be issued.Goines arrested Floyd on Feb. 5, 2004, alleging at the time that Floyd possessed crack cocaine "and that Floyd had provided the drugs to an unnamed 'second suspect' who had agreed to sell the drugs to the undercover Goines. The 'second suspect' was not arrested, Goines noted in his offense report, "in a attempt to further the narcotic trafficing in this area."Goines' attorney, Nicole DeBorde, told CNN in April, "We stand by the original case. We certainly sympathize with Mr. Floyd's cause, but that doesn't change the fact that his former conviction was a legitimate one."In 2019, Goines was involved in a high-profile case known as the Harding Street killings, in which he obtained a warrant for a "no-knock" raid from a municipal judge under false pretenses, Ogg told CNN. The raid left two people dead and five police officers injured.Goines, a 35-year law enforcement veteran, was indicted on two charges of felony murder and tampering with a government record, Ogg said.DeBorde, Goines' attorney, told CNN her client pleaded not guilty to all charges.

A statue honoring George Floyd in New York City’s Union Square Park was vandalized on Sunday, police said.

According to police, a video showed an unidentified man on a skateboard throwing paint on the statue at approximately 10 a.m. then fleeing. Nearby statues of late Congressman John Lewis and Breonna Taylor, a Louisville, Kentucky, woman shot and killed by police last year, apparently weren’t touched.

Police have not released the video.

Sunday's act wasn't the first example of vandalism to the statue memorializing Floyd, whose killing at the hands of police in Minneapolis last year galvanized a racial justice movement across the country.

The statue was unveiled on the Juneteenth holiday in a spot on Flatbush Avenue, in Brooklyn, and it was vandalized five days later with black paint and marked with an alleged logo of a white supremacist group.

Members of the group that installed the statue cleaned it, and local residents and one of Floyd’s brothers gathered in July as it was prepared to move to Union Square, in the heart of Manhattan.

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I would thank her because without her, my husband wouldn't be here today. And I think about her every day in a time where you know, a lot of people are thinking about themselves thinking about their own families, that they took the time. I want to help this family like they say, Walk him out on somebody else's shoes. You gotta do that, see what they're going through. Look at their prospective 2020 was quite a challenging year. But these stories show that even when things feel impossible, there's always something to be grateful for. It's like everything moves in slow motion, and I will never forget turning around and seeing him just fall forward and not move. It was a regular day for this active couple when suddenly Marianne Gayer watched as her husband, Stan, suddenly fell off his bike and went into cardiac arrest. They told me that I was essentially dead for about 10 to 15 minutes. Within moments to strangers rushed to their side. One performed CPR until the ambulance arrived. The other held Mary Ann's hand to pray. I would have died in their haste stand was rushed to the hospital, and Marion never got the name of the woman who saved his life. I would thank her because without her, my husband wouldn't be here today, and I think about her every day. But when this story aired on local news there, Angel was watching. I burst into tears. I kept watching it, and I just kept crying just because I was so happy that he's okay. As soon as I saw her eyes, I knew it was her meeting. Her was very special for me because I got to say thank you in person. I got to meet the woman that saved my life, and I got to express my gratitude to her for her act of kindness and charity. Once a stranger, Gina is now family to the Geier's life's very fragile and very resilient, fragile in that we can be here today and gone tomorrow. But resilient because with the kindness of passer byes, even when we face life threatening obstacles, waken continue to survive. Erica Star Robbins is the founder of Be a Blessing Birmingham unorganized ation that mobilizes neighbors to help those experiencing homelessness. When Erica met a single mother with six Children who had been living on the streets. She knew what she had to dio staying at a shelter. They missed curfew because she was on the bus with those six kids trying to look for housing and because they missed curfew, they got kicked out. When I picked them up, they didn't have anything. And by anything I mean anything. The mom had just a ah little grocery bag with, like, four diapers in it and some wipes and that's it. Erica shared their story, and support from the community started pouring in in a time where, you know, a lot of people are thinking about themselves thinking about their own families. If they took the time, I just want to help this family. Thanks to all the support, she was able to get them in an extended stay. Food and clothing. They're so cute. They excited to see me with all the hugs and the smiles. And then they immediately went to trying on everything we take the smallest things for granted. It's a reminder that we have so much to be thankful for so much to be grateful for, even in you know, these times that we're in right now, it takes time and ah ah, lot of lifting and cutting and the spirit of giving this family started a tree farm in New Mexico to spread the holiday cheer. Money is cool, but it's, you know, to make people happy, and families and businesses and livelihoods continue to go on through these crazy times. It's, I mean, no amount could could beat that. Basically, whatever you feel the tree is worth and you want to donate, it is totally fine. If you don't have any money at all in your family needs a tree, come on down and you're more than welcome to take one. Every dollar earned here was given toe local businesses impacted by co vid 19 Just seeing people affected by it. Family members, close friends that have lost their jobs, gone on unemployment. What a better time than Thio. Try and help people out that have been affected by all this stuff. Not only did the tree sellout, they raised $4000 to help local businesses. That's kind of all we want to do is just help in any way. We could make a difference in a few different lives that zit with fewer customers during the pandemic. This hometown coffee shop was on the brink of closing its doors. We didn't have a drive through, and we really didn't have curbside or any of that. We just closed. But Leo Font, who owns Fonte's coffee shop, fought hard to keep his staff employed. E don't wanna lay my people off. We want to keep them employed on. So we've been able to keep 100% of our staff on board. Little did Leo. No, a loyal customer was paying attention to their challenges and decided to do something about it. Way had a gentleman come in, Chris Dangler, who's one of our regular customers who comes in here and he enjoys the space, and he does a lot of work here. The next thing I know without my knowledge, he comes in the next morning and he donates $1000. Then he came back and he said, How's it going? I said, Really Well, he said, Well, I'd like to do another 500. The generous customers reasoning was simple. He wanted to spread some joy to the staff and their customers during a tough time. You wanted them to feel like they could come here and get a free cup of coffee. You know, a lot cappuccino, a brewed coffee in the holiday season. Especially right now. I mean, you know, giving back and taking care of other people that are less fortunate in our community should be something we all do every single day. Although he's only 10 years old, Ethan Hill knows that the best way to show your gratitude is to pay it forward. This lesson became real the day he met a homeless man on his way to school. His name is Mr Marcus, and he's a very nice man. He lives under the bridge, started to get cold. Oh, I was asking and Google it and see everything that I could do to help them and see what clothing they needed and what just what they needed. Thio to survive forming that relationship with Mr Marcus changed his life forever. I mean, it feels like it's not all about you. Is not, is not you story? Like they say, walk him out on somebody else's shoes. You gotta do that, see what they're going through. Look at their perspective. He founded Ethan Heart to collect essentials for people living on the street, toilet paper like to brush to face. So water rags Oh, everything that you are, you and me with me, which has become all the more important during the cove in 19 Pandemic. They still need to be protected from the virus. They need masks and gloves and hands entitled Ethan is message to everyone is simple. It doesn't take making your own organization. You can just go out and helping some Mormon station. You could help pass out food, and it doesn't require spending money sometimes so you can just go out and help. At only 18 years old. Shan Derek Dorsey, who his friends called Shammy, understands all too well the life threatening effects of Cove in 19. I didn't know I had, because I was. I was sick for like, four days before. Uh, I finally went to the hospital. I didn't want to go with my made me go on when I went in. I ain't come back out. 95 days later, Shammi developed pneumonia and had a heart attack while at the hospital, and at one point doctors weren't sure he'd survive. Really kind of hit me hard when The doctor tells me he was like, ma'am, he's not doing good at all. I really don't. I really just believe that he's not gonna make it through. He's not gonna make it through the night. Wasn't nothing going right that night, so I would idea was after I see what I said to the doctor. I got off the phone, that doctor and I got the praying. This is God. No, I'm telling the truth. I got pregnant. I gotta breaking hard. And then this morning, my baby was doing better. It was a battle that my baby was fine. But you wanna find myself because I was out here like riddle all you Terra could do was pray that her son would pull through. Actually told the team like if anybody know where purchase going down pale with my son. If I can't do it, let somebody else do it cause I'm a strong believer in God. He just can't fight. He fought, He fought. He felt that he was able to come out of there and he came out of there and he came out strong. Idiot. Thank God on here for that wolf. Now, my mom and I'm praying for and God knows what would have happened. E would like to tell the whole staff that I really appreciate every thing. I mean everything on the top of his head, down to the bottom of his speed, from even washing him from. But even sitting over there talking to him when I'm not able to be there, everything the doctors just taking care of him, I want appreciate them for everything that you now that Sammy is home life is something he will never take for granted. Yeah, I might not take the virus serious, but it's serious. Thank you. Like I really do think y'all deep down it's, uh, that work for you all and God knows what would happen. Ending a year like 2020 with gratitude may seem far fetched, but we hope all these stories remind you there is one thing we can always be thankful for, the kindness of others from all of us. Here it's stitch. Thanks for watching

6 people to be grateful for in 2020

Stories of people who stepped up, gave back and uplifted others this year

Updated: 1:40 PM EST Dec 31, 2020

From COVID-19, to Election 2020, to protesting injustice across the nation, to say 2020 was a transformative year would be putting it lightly. But these people reminded us that even when things feel impossible, there’s always something to be grateful for.You'll meet a man who would've died if a stranger hadn't administered CPR, a woman who stepped up for a family of seven, a man spreading Christmas cheer to suffering businesses, a restaurant owner blessed by a good Samaritan, a 10-year-old advocate for people affected by homelessness and an 18-year-old who almost didn't survive COVID-19. Each of these stories reminds us that although 2020 has been challenging, we can be thankful for the kindness of others.

From COVID-19, to Election 2020, to protesting injustice across the nation, to say 2020 was a transformative year would be putting it lightly.

But these people reminded us that even when things feel impossible, there’s always something to be grateful for.

You'll meet a man who would've died if a stranger hadn't administered CPR, a woman who stepped up for a family of seven, a man spreading Christmas cheer to suffering businesses, a restaurant owner blessed by a good Samaritan, a 10-year-old advocate for people affected by homelessness and an 18-year-old who almost didn't survive COVID-19.

Each of these stories reminds us that although 2020 has been challenging, we can be thankful for the kindness of others.