Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is expected to speak in the coming hours about the death of unarmed black resident George Floyd, whose death last week triggered protests across the US.
Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin, who had his knee pressed on Floyd’s neck, has already been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Ellison is expected to upgrade the charge against him to second-degree murder, and charge the other three arresting officers, according to news reports.
Ex-officers Thomas Lane and J.A. Keung, who assisted in restraining Floyd, and Tou Thao, who stood near the others, have all been fired from the police force, but this would be the first criminal charges they face.
They are expected to be charged with aiding and abetting murder, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.
The decision, which has yet to be formally announced, has been praised by Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar as “another important step for justice”.