Minnesota

British paper publishes police bodycam video of Floyd arrest

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FILE - This combination of file photos provided by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, shows Derek Chauvin, from left, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. Prosecutors say they may revisit the issue of audio-visual coverage of the trials of four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder of Floyd, a black man who died after being restrained by him and the other Minneapolis police officers on May 25. Kueng, Lane and Thao have been charged with aiding and abetting Chauvin. (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota court is investigating how a British newspaper obtained police body-camera footage showing the arrest and death of George Floyd.

The Daily Mail on Monday published parts of videos from two Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyd’s arrest on May 25. A Hennepin County judge last month allowed journalists and members of the public to view the footage by appointment but has not yet ruled on a motion by a coalition of news organizations, including The Associated Press, seeking public access to the videos.

The newspaper’s article said the videos were leaked to DailyMail.com. The website shows about 10 minutes from former Officer Thomas Lane’s bodycam and about 18 minutes from former Officer J. Kueng’s bodycam.

Hennepin County District Court spokesman Spenser Bickett told the Star Tribune an investigation is underway into the leak, but declined further comment.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, whose office is leading the prosecution of the four fired Minneapolis police officers charged in Floyd’s death, said he was not the source of the leak.

“We will continue to take the strictest precautions to ensure a fair trial,” Ellison said in a statement.

Representatives of the Daily Mail did not immediately respond to an AP request for comment Monday.

Floyd, a handcuffed Black man, died after Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, held his knee against Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes as Floyd pleaded that he could not breathe. Floyd’s death touched off protests worldwide.

Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Lane, Kueng and another former officer, Tou Thao, are charged with aiding and abetting both second-degree murder and manslaughter. All four officers were fired.

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