In the wake of the George Floyd murder, many Americans want to help change our police culture and create accountability for those who swear to serve and protect us. Peaceful protests are a great way to display empathy and show the force that is behind We the people. Those looking for a next step and a more tangible way to help the cause should consider signing this petition. Ex-police officer, Derek Chauvin, was charged with Third Degree Murder after killing George Floyd. These charges are an unacceptable punishment due to the severity of his crime. A Third-Degree Murder charge is a slap on the wrist compared to what he deserves. Derek Chauvin abused his power and knelt on a human being's neck for eight and a half minutes, while on lookers pleaded for him to stop and while George himself repeatedly said he could not breathe: begging for the former officer to not kill him. Chauvin willingly ignored these pleas and demonstrated a complete lack of humanity while taking advantage of the authority given to him. For all of these reasons he should have been charged with First Degree Murder. However, due to the premediated definition of First Degree Murder a police officer will never be charged with is degree. This is something that must change immediately. Prosecutors should not be afraid of "over charging" officers who have a clear intent to kill even if that intent was not clearly premeditated. We see the action of killing an unarmed, non-resistant civilian who begs for their life, as just as evil as premeditated murder. For that reason we want to create a new law that charges police with penalties just as tough as First Degree Murder. We are calling it the Enforcing Police Accountability for Lives Lost Act (EPALLA). In signing this petition we support the idea that authority figures should be judged at a higher standard when they break the laws they are sworn to protect. My hope is that this change will cause officers to consider their actions more instead of mindlessly doing as they please. Please sign this petition if you want to see police officers get charged with what they deserve for the crimes they commit. Anyone can sign as to show their support for the movement. Massachusetts residents will be counted towards the push to put this issue on the Massachusetts Ballot come this November. I hope that others outside of my state will expand and extend this movement and try to bring about the same law changes in their states. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! WE THE PEOPLE SHALL EFFECT REAL AND TANGIBLE CHANGE!
