Trial of Derek Chauvin: A Juror Supported What?!

[North Washington Republic]

The trial for the other 3 officers-Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane, has been delayed from August 2021 until March 2022

The state trial of three fired officers charged with aiding and abetting Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd has been postponed from August of this year until March of 2022, reports CBS station WCCO. Chauvin, who pinned Floyd to the ground with a knee on his neck for more than nine minutes during a May 2020 arrest in Minneapolis, was convicted of murder and manslaughter last month.

Judge Peter Cahill delayed the trial at a motions hearing Thursday for Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao. The three defendants and Chauvin are all also facing federal civil rights charges after they were indicted by a federal grand jury this month, charging them with depriving Floyd of his Constitutional rights while acting in their capacity as police officers.
[...]
In the state case, Lane, Kueng and Thao face the same possible sentence as Chauvin if convicted, though it's not clear whether prosecutors would seek to enhance their sentence because of "aggravating factors." In the federal case, all face a range of possible sentences up to life in prison or the death penalty.

Cahill said "it makes more sense" for the federal trial to go forward before before the three officers face state trial on March 7, 2022, according to a media pool report, because the penalties in the federal case are "much greater."

Cameras were not allowed in the pre-trial hearing Thursday and the defendants did not appear in court.

Honestly not sure how to feel about this

Well, I live in Minneapolis, and I feel happy that the feds want to put these murders away for life.

[Kowani]

Chauvin's hearing on federal charges is today

The former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in George Floyd’s death is scheduled to make an initial appearance Tuesday in federal court to face charges alleging he violated Floyd’s civil rights by pinning the Black man to the pavement with his knee.


Derek Chauvin, 45, is scheduled to appear in federal court via videoconference from Minnesota’s maximum-security prison in Oak Park Heights, where he’s being held as he awaits sentencing following his April conviction on murder and manslaughter charges.

The federal charges allege Chauvin violated Floyd’s rights as he restrained him face-down while he was handcuffed, not resisting and gasping for air. Three other former officers — J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao — face similar federal charges. Chauvin is also charged in a separate indictment alleging he violated the rights of a 14-year-old boy in 2017.

Floyd, 46, repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe as Chauvin pinned him to the ground. Kueng and Lane helped restrain Floyd — Kueng knelt on Floyd’s back and Lane held down Floyd’s legs. Thao held back bystanders and kept them from intervening during the 9 1/2-minute restraint that was captured on bystander video and led to worldwide protests and calls for change in policing.

While all four officers are charged broadly with depriving Floyd of his rights while acting under government authority, the counts that name Chauvin allege he violated Floyd’s right to be free from unreasonable seizure and from unreasonable force by a police officer. They also allege he and the others deprived Floyd of liberty without due process when they failed to provide him with medical care.

Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, argued during Chauvin’s murder trial that the officer acted reasonably and Floyd died because of underlying health issues and drug use. He has filed a request for a new trial.

To bring federal charges in deaths involving police, prosecutors must believe an officer acted under the “color of law,” or government authority, and willfully deprived someone’s constitutional rights. That’s a high legal standard. An accident, bad judgment or simple negligence on the officer’s part isn’t enough to support federal charges; prosecutors have to prove the officers knew what they were doing was wrong in that moment but did it anyway.

The federal case sends a strong message about the Justice Department’s priorities. When President Joe Biden was elected, he promised he’d work to end disparities in the criminal justice system. Federal prosecutors have also brought hate crimes charges in the death of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, and the Justice Department has launched sweeping investigations into the police departments in Minneapolis and Louisville, Kentucky.

The other indictment against Chauvin alleges he deprived a then-14-year-old boy, who is Black, of his right to be free of unreasonable force when he held the teen by the throat, hit him in the head with a flashlight and held his knee on the boy’s neck and upper back while he was prone, handcuffed and not resisting.

According to a police report from that 2017 encounter, Chauvin wrote that the teen resisted arrest and after the teen, whom he described as 6-foot-2 and about 240 pounds, was handcuffed, Chauvin “used body weight to pin” him to the floor. The boy was bleeding from the ear and needed two stitches.

That encounter was one of several mentioned in state court filings that prosecutors said showed Chauvin had used neck or head and upper body restraints seven times previously dating back to 2014. In four of those instances, state prosecutors said he went too far and held the restraints “beyond the point when such force was needed under the circumstances.”

Chauvin was convicted in April on state charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death. Experts say he will likely face no more than 30 years in prison when he is sentenced June 25. If convicted in the federal case, any federal sentence would be served at the same time as his state sentence.

[Linessia]

It's clear that Chauvin utilized excessive force and is primarily at fault for Floyd's death, but also he probably wouldn't have died if not for all the drugs in his system. The murder charge was too strong, manslaughter would have been more accurate.

[Galloism]

It's clear that Chauvin utilized excessive force and is primarily at fault for Floyd's death, but also he probably wouldn't have died if not for all the drugs in his system. The murder charge was too strong, manslaughter would have been more accurate.

The jury didn't really think so. And I would have pegged murder 3, but the jury felt murder 2.

I was on the fence on murder 2, but I'll side with the jury. They heard all the evidence.

[North Washington Republic]

It's clear that Chauvin utilized excessive force and is primarily at fault for Floyd's death, but also he probably wouldn't have died if not for all the drugs in his system. The murder charge was too strong, manslaughter would have been more accurate.

The jury didn't really think so. And I would have pegged murder 3, but the jury felt murder 2.

I was on the fence on murder 2, but I'll side with the jury. They heard all the evidence.

I strongly agree with the jury’s decision. Chauvin was the main contributor to Floyd’s death. One fact that sticks out like a sore thumb, and Chauvin apparently worked at the same night club as bouncers. I’m convinced that Chauvin knew Floyd, recognized him, and did intentionally kill him because of either personal or racist hatred, making it murder 1. According to the complaints against Chauvin, he was a punk with a badge. The worst type of cop.

[Ethel mermania]

It's clear that Chauvin utilized excessive force and is primarily at fault for Floyd's death, but also he probably wouldn't have died if not for all the drugs in his system. The murder charge was too strong, manslaughter would have been more accurate.

The jury didn't really think so. And I would have pegged murder 3, but the jury felt murder 2.

I was on the fence on murder 2, but I'll side with the jury. They heard all the evidence.

I thought the. MPD witnesses did a good job pointing towards murder 2. When folks say what is different now than 30 years ago, I point to that. They broke the blue wall for this conviction. Watching the video i though it was murder 3.

That said I understand why federal charges get placed in these kinda cases, but it feels like double jeopardy to me.

[Salandriagado]

Chauvin has now been indicted by a federal court for George Floyds murder and another case.

The feds may as well just start arresting every cop who has ever restrained someone.

As a general rule, if you kill someone, you should probably expect to be arrested while it's being investigated.

[Vassenor]

It's clear that Chauvin utilized excessive force and is primarily at fault for Floyd's death, but also he probably wouldn't have died if not for all the drugs in his system. The murder charge was too strong, manslaughter would have been more accurate.

Expert: Lack of oxygen killed George Floyd, not drugs

If you're going to post misinformation, try and be original with it.

[Salandriagado]

Please, do expound on how an unrepentant murderer who slowly choked the life out of a man and abused his position of authority to do so is not at all a danger to society. I'm ever so curious.

No one will be able to hire him as a cop again. He will never be in a position to re commit the same crime.

Private security exist.

[Ethel mermania]

No one will be able to hire him as a cop again. He will never be in a position to re commit the same crime.

Private security exist.

Not with the authority he had as senior cop on the scene. Lane would have ordered him off of floyd if he could have.

[Kowani]

Derek Chauvin asks judge for reduced sentence, saying prison will inflict "long-term damage" on his "life prospects."
He also claims that his sentence should be relatively light because he himself is "a product of a broken system."

[Vassenor]

Derek Chauvin asks judge for reduced sentence, saying prison will inflict "long-term damage" on his "life prospects."
He also claims that his sentence should be relatively light because he himself is "a product of a broken system."

Has anyone seen my World's Smallest Violin?

[Comerciante]

Derek Chauvin asks judge for reduced sentence, saying prison will inflict "long-term damage" on his "life prospects."
He also claims that his sentence should be relatively light because he himself is "a product of a broken system."

Has anyone seen my World's Smallest Violin?

You lent it to Mr. Krabs remember? I don't think you're getting it back from the krusty crustacean.

[The Black Forrest]

Derek Chauvin asks judge for reduced sentence, saying prison will inflict "long-term damage" on his "life prospects."
He also claims that his sentence should be relatively light because he himself is "a product of a broken system."

It’s impressive how lawyers come up with that nonsense. Guess they charge by the word.

Ohhhh so the system made him kill one guy and tried to kill another guy. It wasn’t because mommy spanked him?

[Ethel mermania]

Derek Chauvin asks judge for reduced sentence, saying prison will inflict "long-term damage" on his "life prospects."
He also claims that his sentence should be relatively light because he himself is "a product of a broken system."

It’s impressive how lawyers come up with that nonsense. Guess they charge by the word.

Ohhhh so the system made him kill one guy and tried to kill another guy. It wasn’t because mommy spanked him?

What else is his lawyer supposed to do? Getting Chauvin off, or a lighter sentence is their job.

[Salandriagado]

It’s impressive how lawyers come up with that nonsense. Guess they charge by the word.

Ohhhh so the system made him kill one guy and tried to kill another guy. It wasn’t because mommy spanked him?

What else is his lawyer supposed to do? Getting Chauvin off, or a lighter sentence is their job.

Do a good job? The problem isn't making an argument, the problem is that these are spectacularly shit arguments.

[San Lumen]

Derek Chauvin asks judge for reduced sentence, saying prison will inflict "long-term damage" on his "life prospects."
He also claims that his sentence should be relatively light because he himself is "a product of a broken system."

It’s impressive how lawyers come up with that nonsense. Guess they charge by the word.

Ohhhh so the system made him kill one guy and tried to kill another guy. It wasn’t because mommy spanked him?

Do you know what the job of a lawyer is?

[Ethel mermania]

What else is his lawyer supposed to do? Getting Chauvin off, or a lighter sentence is their job.

Do a good job? The problem isn't making an argument, the problem is that these are spectacularly shit arguments.

In a pleading generally they throw whatever shit they can against the wall and hope something sticks. They only need one.

[Kowani]

State requests 30 year sentence for Chauvin, Nelson files for probation or a lesser sentence

[Postauthoritarian America]

Derek Chauvin asks judge for reduced sentence, saying prison will inflict "long-term damage" on his "life prospects."
He also claims that his sentence should be relatively light because he himself is "a product of a broken system."

Yeah nah. The system, from the dispatcher to the Chief of Police, testified for the prosecution. Pretty clear there was no "system" that forced him to kneel on George Floyd's neck for ten minutes.

[Galloism]

State requests 30 year sentence for Chauvin, Nelson files for probation or a lesser sentence

Probation for Murder 2?

[Kowani]

State requests 30 year sentence for Chauvin, Nelson files for probation or a lesser sentence

Probation for Murder 2?

Chauvin's attorney, Eric Nelson, asked in a separate brief filed Wednesday for a downward departure from sentencing guidelines or a sentence of probation with time served. "Mr. Chauvin asks the Court to look beyond its findings, to his background, his lack of criminal history, his amenability to probation, to the unusual facts of this case, and to his being a product of a 'broken' system," Nelson wrote.

Nelson argued in the sentencing brief that, among other things, Chauvin obeyed all court orders after he posted bond and was released from jail before trial. Nelson also claimed that Chauvin "has been preliminarily diagnosed with heart damage" and that he might die at a younger age, like many ex-law enforcement officers.

"Independent of the long-term damage a prison sentence would inflict upon Mr. Chauvin's life prospects, given his age, convictions for officer-involved offenses significantly increase the likelihood of him becoming a target in prison," Nelson wrote.

full brief is 17 pages

anyway...nelson has not exactly proven himself to be among the world's top lawyers
and not 'cause he lost the case, the case was near impossible for anyone

[North Washington Republic]

Probation for Murder 2?

Chauvin's attorney, Eric Nelson, asked in a separate brief filed Wednesday for a downward departure from sentencing guidelines or a sentence of probation with time served. "Mr. Chauvin asks the Court to look beyond its findings, to his background, his lack of criminal history, his amenability to probation, to the unusual facts of this case, and to his being a product of a 'broken' system," Nelson wrote.

Nelson argued in the sentencing brief that, among other things, Chauvin obeyed all court orders after he posted bond and was released from jail before trial. Nelson also claimed that Chauvin "has been preliminarily diagnosed with heart damage" and that he might die at a younger age, like many ex-law enforcement officers.

"Independent of the long-term damage a prison sentence would inflict upon Mr. Chauvin's life prospects, given his age, convictions for officer-involved offenses significantly increase the likelihood of him becoming a target in prison," Nelson wrote.

full brief is 17 pages

anyway...nelson has not exactly proven himself to be among the world's top lawyers
and not 'cause he lost the case, the case was near impossible for anyone

The apparent lack of remorse from Chauvin almost guarantees that he will not get probation.

[Nazi Flower Power]

Derek Chauvin asks judge for reduced sentence, saying prison will inflict "long-term damage" on his "life prospects."

Boo fucking hoo. How are George Floyd's "life prospects" looking?

[Neanderthaland]

Derek Chauvin asks judge for reduced sentence, saying prison will inflict "long-term damage" on his "life prospects."

Boo fucking hoo. How are George Floyd's "life prospects" looking?

It's the standard line the privileged trot out when they want the law not to apply to them.

Nice to see you, btw. Even if you're still around on other alts.