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Prosecutors with the Hennepin County District Court charged Minneapolis officer Brian Cummings Friday (October 22) with manslaughter and criminal vehicular homicide for the July car crash that claimed the life of Leneal Frazier, uncle of Darnella Frazier who filmed the murder of George Floyd last year.
The charges comes three months after prosecutors say Cummings was driving in a squad car near 100 mph when he ran a red light in residential area and struck Frazier's SUV, killing him. Leneal Frazier was 40 years old.
"Police are supposed to protect and serve citizens, and to act in a manner consistent with their sworn oath to do so. Officer Cummings' actions deviated from his oath and his negligence caused the death of Leneal Frazier," Hennepin Court Attorney Mike Freeman said in a statement, KARE 11 reported.
In a statement to the Black Information Network, civil rights attorney Ben Crump expressed his gratitude for the charges against the officer. Crump is representing the Frazier family in this tragedy and has vowed to file a lawsuit.
“The Frazier family and our legal team are grateful for the charges brought against Brian Cummings for the reckless killing of Leneal Frazier. We commend the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for having the courage to hold law enforcement accountable in this instance. No innocent civilian should ever lose their life because of unwarranted high-speed chases in residential neighborhoods. This case shines a light on how far we have to go in the pursuit of safe and just policing in America. High-speed pursuit policies in Minneapolis and across America must be better written and stringently enforced to protect innocent civilians. This is only the first step in getting full justice for the Frazier family in this tragic and preventable loss.”
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