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Body cam transcript: George Floyd begged police not to kill him

MINNEAPOLIS — According to newly released transcripts of body camera footage, George Floyd used the word “please” nearly five dozen times during his fatal encounter with the Minneapolis Police Department on May 25.

Floyd also told the officers he could not breathe at least two dozen times, as the transcripts provided details of the moments leading to the Minneapolis man’s death, the Star-Tribune of Minneapolis reported.

The transcripts, released Wednesday, were part of a motion filed by attorney Earl Gray on Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court, seeking dismissal of charges against former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane, the Star Tribune reported. Lane, along with former officers J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter in the May 25 killing of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man from Minneapolis, the newspaper reported.

The fourth former officer, Derek Chauvin, is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of Floyd after kneeling on the man’s neck for nearly eight minutes.

The court has not released the body camera footage, and media outlets have been unable to corroborate the transcripts with the actual footage, CNN reported.

According to the transcript, Floyd’s final words came as he told the officers he could not breathe.

“Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk,” Chauvin said, according to the transcripts.

“Come on, man. Oh, oh. I cannot breathe. I cannot breathe. Ah! They’ll kill me. They’ll kill me. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. Oh!” Floyd said in response to Chauvin, according to the transcripts.

Earlier, as Lane ordered Floyd to exit his vehicle and put his hands behind his head, Floyd began to plead.

“Please don’t shoot me, Mr. Officer. Please, don’t shoot me, man. Please. Can you not shoot me, man?” Floyd said, according to the transcript.

“I’m not going to shoot you,” Lane said. “Step out and face away.”

When Lane and Kueng grabbed Floyd’s arms, he said, “I’m not going to do nothing … I’m sorry Mr. Officer, I’ll get on my knees, whatever.”

As the encounter continued, according to the transcripts, Kueng escorted Floyd across the street and sat him down, the Star-Tribune reported.

“Thank you, man. Thank you, Mr. Officer,” Floyd said. “I got shot last time, same thing, man.”

Kueng then explained to Floyd that he was being detained for suspicion of passing a fake $20 bill. Floyd said he understood, the Star-Tribune reported.

“And do you know why we pulled you out of the car? Because you was not listening to anything we told you,” Kueng said.

“Right, but I didn’t know what was going on,” Floyd said.

According to the transcript, Chauvin later told Floyd to get on the ground, adding, “So you’re going to jail.”

“Mom, I love you. I love you,” Floyd said. “Tell my kids I love them. I’m dead.”

Lane was holding onto Floyd’s legs at the time, the Star-Tribune reported. Kueng was holding onto Floyd’s back. Floyd kept calling, “Mama, mama, mama,” saying he couldn’t breathe.

Floyd said, “I’m through, I’m through. I’m claustrophobic. My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Everything hurts. I need some water or something, please. Please? I can’t breathe, officer.”

Eric Nelson, an attorney for Chauvin, declined to comment on the transcripts, CNN reported.