Kanishka Sharma

(Reuters] – Two Black Minneapolis residents have filed federal civil right lawsuits against Derek Chauvin. Chauvin is a white ex-police officer convicted for the murder of George Floyd.

According to lawyers for them, John Pope Jr. as well as Zoya Code, the plaintiffs claimed they were victims of racism and other civil rights violations. These lawsuits are based on incidents dating back to 2017.

Floyd, a Black suspect in passing a fake bill, was murdered by Chauvin as three officers watched. It sparked protests across the globe about racial injustice.

Chauvin, who was convicted on murder charges, was sentenced to 22 and 1/2 years imprisonment last year. After being convicted of murder, Chauvin pleaded guilty before a federal court to violations of Floyd’s civil right.

Pope was fourteen years old when police were summoned to his house for a domestic disturbance. Chauvin was one of the officers who responded, and he entered Pope’s bedroom, where Pope was on his cell phone and lying face down on the floor, the lawyers said on Tuesday.

They stated that Chauvin ran to Pope, struck him several times with a flashlight and then “pinned Pope to his floor with his knee, the exact same method he used against George Floyd”.

Code’s attorneys claimed that Chauvin used excessive force in the incident. They also said that he had thrown her on the ground, and then placed his knee on her back.

Chauvin’s attorneys were not immediately available for comment.

Both Code and Pope were cleared of criminal charges. In Tuesday’s press release, they said that Chauvin’s actions left them traumatized. The lawsuits name Minneapolis as defendant.

The incidents surrounding John Pope and Zoya code are troubling. The Minneapolis City Attorney’s Office indicated that they intend to negotiate with the Plaintiffs regarding these matters. They hope to reach a fair settlement.