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McLean County Prosecutor: Floyd Video 'Beyond Disturbing'

Don Knapp
Jeff Smudde
/
WGLT
McLean County State's Attorney Don Knapp.

McLean County's top prosecutor says "what happened in Minneapolis to George Floyd is in (no) way even close to appropriate."

State's Attorney Don Knapp said he tends to focus on McLean County events, but "some matters ... outside a 617 ZIP code demand comment."

Knapp's statement to WGLT came just before the Minneapolis police officer involved with Floyd's death was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. A video shows that officer's knee pressed firmly on the black man's neck for at least seven minutes. That video has inspired outrage nationwide and unrest in Minneapolis and led to Derek Chauvin's firing.

Knapp said "the videos and pictures emanating from Minnesota which depict a horrific police officer/citizen encounter are beyond disturbing."

"To a person, I know of no law enforcement officer that believes what happened in Minneapolis to George Floyd is in any way even close to appropriate," Knapp said. "In fact, every single officer and prosecutor I have discussed the matter with believes just the opposite and I echo those sentiments. When observing such senselessness, it makes me thankful for the well-trained women and men that serve in our McLean County law enforcement departments which I have the honor of working with every day."

You can read Knapp's full statement below:

"With limited hours in the day and week, I have always felt that my focus was best spent concentrating on events occurring within McLean County. I have admired and learned from professionals who have been able to maintain such a focus and tried to emulate those efforts by working as hard as I can for the victims of crimes within McLean County. At times that results in an admittedly less than familiar knowledge with national conversations even though such conversations can have local consequences. Some matters, however, outside a 617 zip code demand comment. It goes without saying that the videos and pictures emanating from Minnesota which depict a horrific police officer/citizen encounter are beyond disturbing. As prosecutors, we vow to hold people accountable and bring those to justice who violate an individual's rights. I have faith that after a thorough investigation, appropriate prosecutorial actions will be taken in Minnesota. To a person, I know of no law enforcement officer that believes what happened in Minneapolis to George Floyd is in any way even close to appropriate. In fact, every single officer and prosecutor I have discussed the matter with believes just the opposite and I echo those sentiments. When observing such senselessness, it makes me thankful for the well-trained women and men that serve in our McLean County law enforcement departments which I have the honor of working with every day."

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Ryan Denham is the digital content director for WGLT.
Edith began her career as a reporter with The DeWitt County Observer, a weekly newspaper in Clinton. From 2007 to June 2019, Edith covered crime and legal issues for The Pantagraph, a daily newspaper in Bloomington, Illinois. She previously worked as a correspondent for The Pantagraph covering courts and local government issues in central Illinois.
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