Minnesota prosecutor compares George Floyd killing to case of Freddie Gray, saying he 'will not rush to justice' despite calls to charge police

• Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said he has been inundated with calls asking what he's "going to do about the murder" of George Floyd.
• But, Freeman told reporters on Thursday, "I will not rush to justice. I'm going to do this right. And those folks who know me in the African community know I will do my very level best."
• Freeman's office later issued a clarification. "Evidence not favorable to our case needs to be carefully examined to understand the full picture of what actually happened," it said.
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George Floyd died after a since-fired police officer in Minneapolis pinned him to the ground by kneeling on his neck for eight minutes.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said he has been inundated with calls demanding to know what he's "going to do about the murder."

But at a press conference on Thursday, Freeman said he would wait for more evidence before pressing ahead with any charges over the death of Floyd, citing a failed prosecution of cops in Baltimore — comments he later clarified following a backlash.

"I will just point to you the comparison to what happened in Baltimore in the [Freddie] Gray case. It was a rush to charge. It was a rush to justice. And all of those people were found not guilty," Freeman told reporters.

"I will not rush to justice. I'm going to do this right. And those folks who know me in the African community know I will do my very level best," Freeman said, in remarks that appeared to be a attempted reference to the local African-American community.

Freddie Gray died in 2015 while in the custody of Baltimore police after suffering a "significant spinal injury." Six officers were charged in connection with the death — 19 days later — but none were convicted of a crime. Gray's family was later awarded a $6.4 million settlement from the city.

Former Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who was mayor when Gray was killed, seemed to agree. She told CNN's Erin Burnett on Thursday evening: "As we saw in Baltimore, I think it's very important to get it right and not just get it fast."

In a statement issued later on Thursday, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office insisted that Freeman's comments were "being misinterpreted."

"To clarify, County Attorney Freeman was saying that it is critical to review all the evidence because at the time of trial, invariably, all that information will be used," the office said. "Evidence not favorable to our case needs to be carefully examined to understand the full picture of what actually happened."

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has called on Freeman to pursue criminal charges against the arresting officer, Derek Chauvin. All four officers involved in the incident have been removed from the police force.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office, meanwhile, is stressing that the results of its own investigation are unlikely to be conclusive. In a press release Thursday, the office said it is "actively investigating the death of George Floyd and awaiting final results from laboratory studies." However, an "autopsy alone cannot answer all questions germane to the case and manner of death."

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