Derek Chauvin Verdict

[fjh80]

So then... It's been only a few minutes since the verdict was read out in the case of Derek Chauvin. If you're not already aware, the verdict is guilty on all charges.

• Second-Degree Unintentional Murder: GUILTY
• Third Degree Murder: GUILTY
• Second Degree Manslaughter: GUILTY

Chauvin Guilty On All Charges

So, my take...

A year ago when this happened, I was outraged. If you don't remember, at the time nearly 100% of the population was outraged.

We all saw the video of Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd's neck for 9 minutes. We watched as George Floyd pleaded for air, and cried for his mother. Slowly and apparently his life slipped away. I say apparently because I can't say for sure at which point Mr Floyd passed.

Despite what people may tell you, officer Chauvin was arrested and charged almost immediately. As the protests were starting, the justice system was already reacting. It's important to acknowledge this considering what's happened over the passed year.

Since that time, more information came out. We learned that drugs were involved, and it was likely and overdose. We also learned that Mr Floyd had a criminal history. He held a pregnant woman at gun point. I believe he did time for that. If I'm mistaken, let me know.

Regardless, the way I saw it, his past had nothing to do with it. To me it all came down to the minutes that Derek Chauvin knelt on Mr Floyd. I felt like, once Mr Floyd wasn't a threat then they didn't have justification to hold him down like that when he was clearly fading.

To the argument that he was overdosing, my response was, if they weren't on his back they could have identified the signs of overdose. Also, (admittedly i'm not a doctor) I felt like the effects of kneeling on him would have exacerbated the effects of the drugs.

No matter how you look at it, kneeling on a man like that had to impair breathing. I won't go on about that any further except to say it came down to this... If they weren't kneeling on George Floyd for longer than was necessary, would he be alive?

I could go on and on, but I'd start going in circles. My prediction was that Derek Chauvin would have been cleared of the murder charges, and found guilty of the manslaughter charges.

After having a year to think about it, and taking newly exposed evidence into account, I didn't feel that it was a case of murder. My understanding is that "murder" implies intent. I don't believe that Derek Chauvin intended to kill George Floyd.

Hear me out before you all jump on me.

I don't think Mr Chauvin actually believed that Mr Floyd was going to die. I think it was his negligence. Think about it. Put yourself in officer Chauvins position. You're kneeling on a black man. There's a crowd around you. Everyone has their phones out and they're recording. Intentionally killing a man (for no good reason) in this situation...

You'd basically be saying, "I, a police officer, want to spend the rest of my life in prison."

No, I believe that Derek Chauvin didn't believe that George Floyd was going to die. This 'My Take' is already pretty long so I'll leave it at that for now.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not defending Derek Chauvin. This is just me wanting to go at this from and objective position. I think he needs to take responsibility for his actions. I think that it would have been a miscarriage of justice if Mr Chauvin walked.

My prediction:

I expect Derek Chauvins lawyer will try to appeal this case. He will argue that the jury was influenced by the protesters that they allegedly had to go through ever day. He will argue that they may have felt threatened. There was immense political and social pressure on this case.

Maxine Waters' comments may have had an influence on this outcome, at least that is what many have said after statements she made inciting violence.

Many will say the outcome was determined before the case started. We all have to accept this. We ALL had our views on this, and we ALL saw what was happening in the USA for the last year.

In the end, I think this is seen as justice for more than just the death of George Floyd. I think there will be plenty of conspiracy theories. Is this justice?

Well, in my view George Floyd didn't deserve to die, and he deserves justice for what happened. I don't think that Derek Chauvin meant to kill George Floyd, and yet he did.

I think that the amount of force was necessary until it wasn't. If they hadn't knelt on the man for as long as they did, the outcome would have been very different. If anything, Derek Chauvin was guilt of manslaughter involving negligence, but not murder.

[jshm2]

You used a lot of words to say nothing.

The law says he's guilty on all accounts, and the evidence proves it.

But even if the defence tries an appeal, the FBI will just file for civil rights violations and no doubt other charges. All of which will add up to more.

[fjh80]

A lot of words to say nothing?

Thanks for taking the time to read my take on this issue, but I have to wonder if you even read the entire thing. I know my takes are rather long winded. If you think I wrote a lot and said nothing, I have to wonder if you even read it?
Maybe you decided what it was going to say before trying to understand it. ?
Did you think, "this is some conservative who thinks Derek Chauvin should have walked away" ?