The police officer arrested and charged with George Floyd’s murder is allegedly ‘on suicide watch’ in jail and under constant surveillance.
Derek Chauvin, 44, reportedly has a camera focused on him all day and is subject to in-person checks every 15 minutes.
Chauvin, who was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter on Friday, is in isolation in Ramsey County Jail in St. Paul, Minnesota.
He is reportedly detained in a single cell in a part of the facility set aside for high-profile cases.
A source at the jail told TMZ that the ex cop did not make eye contact with anyone upon his arrival on Friday.
Officers have not confirmed whether they believe Chauvin is suicidal and said the 15-minute checks are standard for that section of the jail.
However, sources at the jail told TMZ they want to make sure nothing happens to him while he is in custody.
The former Minneapolis police officer has to be in the cell for 23 hours every day and is allowed one hour of recreation time in an enclosed area, according to TMZ.
He is said to have access to books, pencils and papers.
Chauvin was charged after kneeling on George Floyd’s neck shortly before he died during an arrest.
Officers reportedly pulled Floyd from his car before handcuffing him and forcing him onto the ground, Crime Online reports.
In a clip that went viral, Chauvin can be seen pressing on Mr Floyd’s neck as he screams ‘please, please’ and calls for his mum, saying he cannot breathe.
Derek Chauvin ‘had his knee on [George] Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds’, the criminal complaint against the now-fired Minneapolis police officer says.
“Two minutes and 53 seconds of this was after Mr Floyd was non-responsive,” the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
The video has caused outrage all over the world, with petitions being signed and protests being organised to fight against police brutality and racism.
The 46-year-old man, who has been described as a “gentle giant” by his family, was taken away by paramedics and was then pronounced dead.
Mr Floyd’s family also called for the other three officers involved to be arrested as they failed to intervene when Chauvin was pressing on the man’s neck.
Devastaded brother Philonise Floyd said: “We need justice. Those four officers need to be arrested.
“They executed my brother in broad daylight. People had to film that.
“People had to see that. People pleaded for his life. Kids were out there seeing that. Nobody should have to witness that.”
Earlier the city’s mayor said the victim was “killed because he is black”.
Jacob Frey said: “I’m not a prosecutor, but let me be clear, the arresting officer killed someone.
“The facts that I’ve seen, which are minimal, certainly lead me down the path that race was involved.
“I don’t know whether or not there’s explicit or implicit racism involved, but racism is involved – let’s be very clear.”
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said more charges were possible and the investigation into the other three continues.
All four officers – Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Kueng – were fired from the force.
Witnesses have disputed the Minneapolis Police Department’s claims that 46-year-old Mr Floyd – who was unarmed – was resisting arrest.