Charges are legal descriptions of criminal activity, not a signifier of how seriously you take a crime. It is very risky to overcharge; overcharging often ends in acquittal. Ellison better be charging crimes he knows he can prove.
Looking at the legal descriptions of third-degree and second-degree, elevation of the Floyd killing to second-degree is quite risky. It requires proving intent to kill, rather than depraved indifference to human life. That's a heavy legal burden.
As per @cjane87, here's a differing legal perspective arguing that second-degree is the better charge: dailysignal.com/2020/06/02/a-m…
