Judge orders release of Floyd video footage

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota judge ordered the release of body camera footage recorded by former officers charged in the death of George Floyd.

Judge Peter Cahill ruled Friday the that videos from the body cameras of Thomas Lane and J. Kueng taken on the night Floyd died will be made publicly available, though it is unclear how or when the footage will be released.

The videos were filed with the court last month by Lane’s attorney. Initially only transcripts of the audio were released, but a judge later allowed journalists and members of the public to view the footage by appointment. A British tabloid on Monday published parts of the videos.

Minnesota surpasses 60,000 positive tests

(AP) — Minnesota has surpassed 60,000 positive COVID-19 tests, health officials said Saturday.

Health officials reported 924 positive tests on Saturday, bringing the state statewide total to 60,101. Health officials said 6,763 health care workers have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began.

More than 52,760 people were marked as no longer needing isolation.

Minnesota’s death toll from the coronavirus rose by eight to 1,648 as of Saturday. Officials report that 1,245 of deaths have been among residents of long-term care or assisted living facilities.

A total of 5,506 people have required hospitalization. Of those, 309 remain in those facilities, with 154 in intensive care.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

Bikers descend on Sturgis

STURGIS, S.D. (AP) — The coronavirus may be changing the world, but there aren’t many signs of the pandemic at the massive annual motorcycle rally being held this week at a small city along Interstate 90 in western South Dakota.

The scene Saturday at the 80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was familiar to veterans of the event, with throngs of maskless bikers packing the streets.

Motorcyclist Kevin Lunsmann, 63, rode more than 600 miles (965 kilometers) to the rally from Big Lake, Minnesota, with several friends. Lunsmann said has attended the Sturgis event every year since 2003 and didn’t want to miss the 80th, despite being “somewhat” concerned about the coronavirus.

Still, the crowds of people and rows of bikes surprised him. He said there was no difference from previous years “other than a few people wearing masks.”