Graham promises Senate hearing to address George Floyd killing, police use of force
On the same day he called the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd while in police custody a “stain on law enforcement,” U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham announced the Senate Judiciary Committee will conduct a hearing on police use of force.
In his announcement Friday, Graham, who chairs the committee, said he and ranking member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) were both “appalled” after watching the widely-circulated video of Floyd saying he cannot breathe while a police officer kneels on his neck. Floyd, an African-American man, appeared to go unresponsive and died.
His death has sparked outrage over police brutality across the country, with days of protests. Civil rights advocates in Columbia are also planning demonstrations on Saturday.
Graham said Friday that both he and Feinstein want the hearing to “shine a bright light on the problems associated with Mr. Floyd’s death, with the goal of finding a better way forward for our nation.”
Among other topics, the hearing will address “better policing, addressing racial discrimination regarding the use of force, as well as building stronger bonds between communities and police,” Graham said.
An exact date for the hearing has not yet been announced, but Graham pledged that it would happen “as soon as possible.” During the coronavirus pandemic, some Senate committees have been meeting virtually with certain members using video conferencing.
Graham is running for re-election in 2020 against Democratic challenger Jaime Harrison, who is African-American. Harrison took to Twitter on Sunday to address the George Floyd protests, calling for the officers involved to be “held responsible for their crimes.”
This story was originally published May 29, 2020 at 6:59 PM.
