In a bizarre and widely criticized stunt, January 6 participant Jake Lang released a video of himself kneeling on the back of a fellow Capitol riot defendant in an attempt to cast doubt on scientific evidence that proved Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd. 

Lang filmed his theatrics outside the low-security federal prison in Big Spring, Texas, where Chauvin is currently serving overlapping state and federal sentences totaling more than 22 years for killing Floyd during a 2020 arrest.

Lang, a prominent figure among Jan. 6 defendants pardoned by President Donald Trump in January, falsely claimed his video “experiment” proved Floyd’s death was not caused by Chauvin’s brutal actions but instead by drugs he had taken prior to the deadly encounter.

Stunt Outside Texas Prison Mocking George Floyd’s Murder Sparks Outrage as MAGA Extends Push to Pardon His Killer
Two men reenact the killing of George Floyd in front of a federal facility. (Photo: X/@dom_lucre)

Lang’s partner in the video, Phillip Anderson, who is Black, willingly participated in what amounted to a comedy skit, critics said. Lang framed the stunt as supposed proof that kneeling on someone’s back isn’t deadly, aiming to cast doubt on the circumstances of Floyd’s death five years ago.

The video shows Lang kneeling on Anderson’s upper back for no more than a few seconds, in a bad-faith reenactment that put another whitewashed narrative around Floyd’s death in real time. Lang was quickly met with condemnation on X, with many pointing out he never applied pressure to Anderson’s neck, nor sustained it for more than nine minutes like Chauvin did to Floyd. Many voices mocked Lang’s attempt as both scientifically meaningless and racially offensive, while showing zero respect for the departed. 

Several viral responses to the buffoonery criticized Lang for not going all the way like Chauvin did. “Now press his neck against the ground, bear down with your full weight, and stay there for nine minutes,” one commenter observed.

To many, Lang’s demonstration looked more like horseplay than a serious examination of the facts — though he clearly intended it to resonate with the conspiracy-driven fringes of the MAGA movement.

However, social media wasn’t in the mood for Lang’s nonsense.

“He’s not even on the man’s neck,” one user commented.

“This is the DUMBEST SH-T EVER!” another person observed. “Notice how is NOT on his neck he is on his shoulder blades. Now redo it put your knee ON HIS NECK and KEEP IT THERE for 9 minutes!”

Others blasted Lang’s high jinks as degrading, particularly the involvement of another Black man in a stunt to defend Chauvin, who was convicted by a jury in state court and later pleaded guilty to his crimes in federal court, sealing his fate. 

One of the more searing criticisms focused on Phillip Anderson’s decision to take part in the antics, which on a subliminal level tapped into the old script of the agreeable Black house servant. Several commenters accused Anderson of betraying his own race by helping defend the indefensible in Chauvin’s case, and going above and beyond to cast himself as an accessory to white grievance. 

“Black dude really woke up that morning, looked at this dude’s request via his phone, and said, ‘Yes, suh, masta! Toby be good n-gga!’ What a damn shame…”

The comment stood out for the reference to “Toby” —which encapsulated Anderson’s involvement by evoking the iconic 1977 TV miniseries “Roots,” based on Alex Haley’s novel. 

In “Roots,” the enslaved African Kunta Kinte is brutally compelled by his white captors to accept the name “Toby.” The scene became a searing symbol of forced assimilation and the stripping of Black identity—marking the first time many American households were confronted with the brutal realities of slavery in such raw, unfiltered terms.

By invoking “Toby,” the commenter on X basically accused Phillip Anderson of willingly submitting to a role that echoed historical subjugation, suggesting he was complicit in a performance that continues to undermine Black dignity.

Chauvin, meanwhile, was convicted in 2021 of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter after video showed him kneeling on George Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes. Floyd, 46, died pleading that he couldn’t breathe. Chauvin later also pleaded guilty in federal court to violating Floyd’s civil rights.

Despite the guilty verdict by jury in the state case and Chauvin’s own guilty plea in the federal case, calls have mounted among conservative circles to overturn Chauvin’s conviction outright, simply based on false claims. Since Trump’s return to office in January, right-wing commentators and politicians, including Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, have given new life to the long-debunked claim that Floyd died of a drug overdose, and not Chauvin’s brutal actions.

Daily Wire founder Ben Shapiro launched a petition in March seeking a federal pardon for Chauvin. The campaign gained further visibility when tech billionaire Elon Musk reposted a video promoting the petition, commenting, “Something to think about.”

The pardon rumors have prompted concern among Minnesota officials. Attorney General Keith Ellison stressed that a presidential pardon could not erase Chauvin’s state sentence.

“He still owes Minnesota 22½ years,” Ellison told MSNBC recently. “He’s not getting out.”

Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said that while there’s no credible sign a pardon is imminent, preparations are underway to manage potential unrest if it occurs.

Chief O’Hara said police departments across the country have raised questions. “Of course, because there’s all these rumors, we’ve been in communication with our partners… to ensure that we are prepared,” he said.

The renewed push to rewrite the facts of Floyd’s death reflects a broader campaign by some conservative voices to discredit the racial justice movement that surged after his killing. Despite multiple autopsy reports confirming Floyd’s death was a homicide caused by law enforcement restraint, the drug overdose theory persists.

Experts say misinformation thrives in polarized online spaces, especially when it aligns with entrenched narratives about race and criminality.

“Falsehoods can be weaponized to demonize, harm and further oppress,” said Deen Freelon, a communications professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

In 2020, Floyd’s death sparked worldwide protests and calls for systemic police reform. But the backlash began just as quickly, with efforts to downplay Floyd’s death, question his character, and now, to erase the accountability Chauvin faced.

Lang’s video is the latest in that ongoing effort — one that, critics say, relies more on theatrics and misinformation than facts or justice.

‘This is the Dumbest… Ever!’: Jan. 6 Rioter’s Stunt Outside Texas Prison Mocking George Floyd’s Murder Sparks Outrage as MAGA Extends Push to Pardon His Killer