Floyd's Attorney Calls On US Senate To Pass Police Reform Bill After Chauvin Sentencing

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th June, 2021) Civil rights attorney Ben Crump called on the US Senate to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act following the sentencing of the former police officer convicted of his murder.

Earlier, a US court sentenced former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin to 22.5 years in prison for the murder of the Floyd. The 46-year-old Black man was killed in policy custody after Chauvin kneeling on his neck for around 9 minutes.

"We need accountability on the policy level, so we say to the United States Senate: pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act immediately," Crump said Friday.

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, sponsored by Representative Karen Bass, is intended to address a wide range of policing policies and issues. The bill would lower the criminal intent standard to convict police officers of misconduct, limit qualified immunity in private civil actions against officers, and grant the Justice Department subpoena power in pattern-or-practice investigations.

The legislation, which passed the House in March of this year, is awaiting approval in the Senate. Biden has called on Democrats and Republicans to come together and find common ground on the legislation and police reform.