George Floyd killing: Former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murder

[MenInG]

The trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin starts today - 10 months after the death of George Floyd - and the stakes are high for race relations in America.

After a complex jury selection, the stage is set for jurors to hear opening statements later.

George Floyd Killing: The Trial - From today at 3pm we will bring you live continuous coverage of court proceedings in the trial of Derek Chauvin on our website, app, YouTube and Sky Pop Up Channel on 524

The prosecution will present its case first - and it is highly likely the biggest piece of evidence will be the video of Chauvin with his knee on Mr Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes during his arrest in May last year.

The mobile phone footage was shared online, viewed tens of millions of times, and sparked months of worldwide protests against racial injustice and police brutality.

The court will hear accounts of the events that unfolded on 25 May last year when police responded to a call from a convenience store where Mr Floyd had allegedly used a fake $20 bill.

Chauvin was one of the officers who attended the scene, but what the jury will have to decide is if his restraint of Mr Floyd was the cause of his death.

Chauvin has pleaded not guilty to the three charges against him - second and third degree murder and second degree manslaughter.

The second degree murder charge is the most serious, with a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

For him to be found guilty of this charge, prosecutors must prove he intentionally assaulted Mr Floyd which led to his death, even if his actions were not premeditated.

The defence will argue Chauvin did not cause Mr Floyd's death.

Chauvin's defence team is expected to introduce evidence showing that Mr Floyd could have died from other factors and that Chauvin did not have intent to harm him.

Minneapolis was calm ahead of the trial but emotions are high. The court house has been surrounded by heavy security in recent weeks and a ring of steel now exists in central Minneapolis, which could be used to seal off a large area downtown in the event of unrest.

There's no way to predict what a jury will ultimately decide but many believe the verdict will be a tipping point - a ruling on where the country stands on race relations - and how it reacts.

The outcome is uncertain and the stakes are high.

SKY

 

[OMB]

George Floyd: Derek Chauvin trial begins as family demands justice


The trial of Derek Chauvin, the white American policeman accused of killing George Floyd in May last year, is due to begin later on Monday.

Mr Chauvin was recorded by passers-by in the city of Minneapolis kneeling on the neck of Mr Floyd, who was black, for more than nine minutes.

The incident sparked protests in the US and across the world against police brutality and racism.

Mr Chauvin, 45, is one of four officers involved to stand trial.

He is facing the most serious charges of the four, including second-degree murder, which carries a sentence of up to 40 years in prison. Mr Chauvin, who was fired from the police, has pleaded not guilty.

Family and friends of George Floyd held a vigil and prayer service in Minneapolis ahead of the trial.

"We are [a] God-fearing family, we [are] church people. So, therefore, I'm just going to end it on this - we're asking the system for the justice," his brother Terrence said.

Another of his brothers, Philonise Floyd, told reporters on Sunday: "I have a big hole right now in my heart. It can't be patched up... I need justice for George. We need a conviction."

How will the prosecution and defence make their case?
Twelve jurors - plus two alternate (back-up) jurors - will remain anonymous and unseen throughout the televised trial.

Prosecutors are expected to play the video showing Mr Chauvin's knee on Mr Floyd's neck early on in the trial. In order to secure a conviction, they must prove that his conduct was a "substantial causal factor" in Mr Floyd's death.

Mr Chauvin's defence team is expected to focus on the fact that Mr Floyd used drugs before his arrest which may have contributed to his death, along with underlying health conditions, and whether Mr Chauvin followed police procedure.

How were the jurors picked?
Fifteen jurors - nine women and six men - have been selected; nine of them are white and six are black or multiracial.

One juror - who was a back-up option in case a juror dropped out before proceedings began - is expected to be dismissed on Monday, and the trial is expected to go ahead with 12 jurors and two alternates.

They were asked to submit questionnaires describing their existing knowledge of the case, any previous contact with police, and their media habits.


The trial is expected to last for about four weeks.

The courthouse in central Minneapolis has been fortified with concrete barriers, fencing, and barbed and razor wire.

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-us-canada-56561929?__twitter_impression=true

 

[Saj]

9 minutes 29 seconds the police officer had his knee on Floyd's neck.

Incredible.

 

[Saj]

And the defence are suggesting that Floyd was under the influence of drugs and that played a part in his death.

Trial being shown all around the world - reminds me of the OJ Simpson trial all those years ago.

 

[KingKhanWC]

If the cop is found not guilty, you can expect huge riots all over the US. The BLM clowns in the UK may also distrupt the streets here and cause damage to property.

George Floyd was a lowlife criminal, who held a gun to a pregnant woman. Lets not make him some sort of hero. However nobody deserves to be murdered by police.

 

[MenInG]

'You will see and hear everything Floyd and police said'

Before the break, defence lawyer Eric Nelson previewed the weeks ahead for the jurors: "You will see the body cameras worn by police officers" .

"You will see the officers struggle with Mr Floyd, to get him out of the Mercedes Benz and place him in handcuffs," he continued.

"And you will hear everything that these officers and Mr Floyd said to each other," he added.

"You will see that, when confronted by the police, Mr Floyd put drugs in his mouth in an effort to conceal them from police," said Nelson.

He added that the officers asked Floyd several times what drugs he was on, and "Mr Floyd said nothing".

Later post-mortem examinations found that he had drugs in his system at the time of his arrest.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

Derek Chauvin’s lawyer Eric Nelson says the case is clearly about more than just nine minutes and 29 seconds in his opening statement.

The defence is trying to establish reasonable doubt in the case and undercut the prosecution’s argument that Floyd died because of Chauvin’s knee on his neck.

He also revealed that one of the defense’s witnesses will be an employee of Cup Foods where Floyd allegedly used a fake American currency.

The employee will reportedly say that he observed Floyd under the influence well before his encounter with Chauvin.

“The evidence will show that Mr Floyd died of a cardiac arrhythmia, that occurred as result of hypertension, coronary disease, the ingestion of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and adrenaline flowing through his body,” he told the court.

At George Floyd Square, people feel it’s an attempt to smear a man who was killed by police on video. Many in the city’s black community I’ve spoken to do not expect justice from the trial. They feel that police often get away with killing black men and this will be no different.

At the intersection of E 38th and Chicago streets, where the Floyd’s last moment was filmed, the community has turned it into a memorial and blocked the road.

“It’s a memorial site and a protest but first and foremost, it’s our neighbourhood,” activist Marcia Howard tells me.

“No justice, no streets,” she says.

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-race-georgefloyd/a-grinding-and-crushing-knee-on-george-floyd-opening-statements-begin-in-ex-officers-trial-idUSKBN2BL0FW

Former Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin squeezed the life out of George Floyd while joining other officers in arresting him last May, a prosecutor told jurors in his opening statement at Chauvin’s murder trial in a heavily fortified courthouse on Monday.

Chauvin’s lead attorney, Eric Nelson, said in his opening statement that the former officer followed his police training.

Jerry Blackwell, a prosecutor with the Minnesota attorney general’s office, told jurors that officers who wear the Minneapolis police badge pledge to never use “unnecessary force or violence.”

“You will learn that on May 25, Mr. Derek Chauvin betrayed this badge when he used excessive and unreasonable force upon the body of George Floyd,” said Blackwell, who addressed the jury for just shy of an hour.

He displayed a still image from a bystander’s cellphone video of Chauvin, who his white, with his knee on the neck of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man in handcuffs, saying it showed Chauvin “grinding and crushing him until the very breath — no, ladies and gentlemen — the very life was squeezed out of him.”

Floyd’s death ignited a global protest movement over police brutality against Black people. In the preceding two weeks of jury selection, many jurors told Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill and the lawyers on each side that they recognized the scrutiny their deliberations would come under, not least by those who view the trial as a reckoning for how Black people are policed in the United States.

“It’s been a long time coming,” a gospel choir sang on Sunday evening at a euphoric prayer service attended by Floyd’s relatives at a church a few blocks east of the deadly arrest. “But I know a change is gonna come.”

Philonise Floyd, a brother of George Floyd, said before the service began that he had faith that Chauvin would be convicted.

“The video is the proof,” he said. Prosecutors played the most widely seen bystander video to jurors on Monday. Chauvin, dressed in a gray suit, a blue face mask and a blue shirt and tie, took pages of notes on a yellow legal pad as the dying moans of Floyd and the yelling of horrified onlookers filled the courtroom.

Chauvin, 45, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, with his lawyers arguing that he followed his training and that the main cause of Floyd’s death, which the county examiner ruled a homicide, was a drug overdose. He faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted on the most serious charge. The Minneapolis Police Department fired Chauvin and the three other officers involved the day after the arrest.

Defense lawyer Nelson used his opening statement to describe Floyd’s drug use and a chaotic scene during the arrest, saying the screaming of bystanders ended up “causing the officers to divert their attention from the care of Mr. Floyd.”

“Derek Chauvin did exactly what he was trained to do over the course of his 19 year career,” Nelson told the jury. “The use of force is not attractive but it is a necessary component of policing.”

The courtroom in a tower in downtown Minneapolis was ringed with concrete barriers, barbed wire and soldiers from the state’s National Guard. For blocks around, businesses are closed and windows boarded up, fearing a repeat of the arson and other property damage that occurred after Floyd’s death.

Less than three miles away, residents maintain a vigil at the intersection where Chauvin kept his knee on a handcuffed Floyd’s neck for about 9 minutes as Floyd uses his final breaths to plead for his life. Chauvin and three other officers were arresting Floyd on suspicion of passing a fake $20 bill at the Cup Foods grocery store nearby.

Four sets of barricades block police from coming to the intersection, now called George Floyd Square, which is filled with flowers, posters, murals and other tributes to Floyd. The jury, including three alternates, is made up of six white women, three white men, three Black men, one Black woman and two multiracial women, according to court records.

Legal experts have noted that U.S. police officers have almost never been found criminally liable for killing a citizen. Chauvin’s lawyers have said they will try to convince the jury that the fentanyl, an opioid painkiller, found in Floyd’s blood by the medical examiner played a bigger role in killing Floyd than the officer’s restraint.

Rev. Al Sharpton, the civil rights activist who joined the Floyd family at Sunday’s service, echoed prosecutors in calling this an “attempt to smear his name.”

Tiffany Jeffers, a former Maryland prosecutor and a Georgetown law professor, said she saw the defense’s case as an uphill battle in part because of the widely seen video. All members of the jury have said they already saw at least snippets of it.

“This video is just so powerful,” Jeffers said.

 

[MenInG]

The second witness, Alisha Oyler, is being questioned by prosecutors on what she saw on the day of George Floyd's arrest.

The 23-year-old says she saw the police "messing with somebody" from the grocery store she worked at across the street.

Responding to a question from prosecutors, Oyler clarifies she saw officers "disturbing somebody". That person, she says, was George Floyd.

Visibly nervous, Oyler struggles to remember several details.

"I don't remember, I can't think right now," she says at one point.

==

Second witness called

Lawyers for the state of Minnesota have called Alisha Oyler to the stand. She is the second witness of the day and saw Floyd's arrest unfold.

"I'm sorry. I don't like this," she says after courtroom staff ask her to speak into the microphone.

The prosecutors start by asking the 23-year-old about how she moved from her native Arizona to Minneapolis and her work in the city.

She describes how she worked for about a year as a "shift lead" at a Speedway convenience store, but is unemployed now.

The building is across the street from the Cup Foods, where police were called on George Floyd after he was accused of paying for cigarettes with counterfeit money.

She began her shift around 15:00 on the day that Floyd died, she says, adding that she can see the Cup Foods across the street from the cash register.

 

[Saj]

Watched the full video today for the first time.

Difficult to watch a man's life being taken away by another second by second.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Watched the full video today for the first time.

Difficult to watch a man's life being taken away by another second by second.

The prosecution are arguing it was the drugs which actually caused him to die. It will be intersting how they debate this with the defence.

Your thoughts after watching the video, looks like murder?

 

[sweep_shot]

Derek Chauvin trial: George Floyd 'slowly fading away' during police arrest

A witness has told of the last harrowing minutes of George Floyd's life on the opening day of the trial of Derek Chauvin, the white American policeman accused of killing him.

Donald Williams III, a witness for the prosecution, said Mr Floyd was "slowly fading away" during the nine minutes Mr Chauvin kneeled on his back and neck.

Mr Chauvin's lawyer argued his use of force was "unattractive but necessary".

This trial is being seen by many as a pivotal moment in US race relations.

The May 2020 incident - in which Mr Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on the neck of Mr Floyd, who is black, in the city of Minneapolis - sparked protests in the US and across the world against police brutality and racism.

Mr Chauvin, 45, who was dismissed from the police, denies murder and manslaughter charges, which carry sentences of up to 40 years in prison.

Three other officers present - Tou Thao, J Alexander Keung and Thomas Lane - will go on trial later in the year.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56572472.

 

[MenInG]

A witness has told of the last harrowing minutes of George Floyd's life on the opening day of the trial of Derek Chauvin, the white American policeman accused of killing him.

Donald Williams III, a witness for the prosecution, said Mr Floyd was "slowly fading away" during the nine minutes Mr Chauvin kneeled on his back and neck.

Mr Chauvin's lawyer argued his use of force was "unattractive but necessary".

This trial is being seen by many as a pivotal moment in US race relations.

The May 2020 incident - in which Mr Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on the neck of Mr Floyd, a black man, in the city of Minneapolis - sparked protests in the US and across the world against police brutality and racism.

Mr Chauvin, 45, who was dismissed from the police, denies murder and manslaughter charges, which carry sentences of up to 40 years in prison.

Three other officers present - Tou Thao, J Alexander Keung and Thomas Lane - will go on trial later in the year.

What was heard on the first day of the trial?

Donald Williams, a 33-year-old entrepreneur, said he had been planning to enter the Cup Foods shop, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, when he witnessed the arrest of Mr Floyd on 25 May 2020.

He said he decided against entering the shop because "the energy was off", and instead began a conversation with the arresting police officers and urged them to check Mr Floyd's pulse.

He told the court he could see Mr Floyd's life slipping away. "He's slowly fading away like a fish in a bag," he said. "His eyes slowly rolled to the back of his head" until "he didn't have no life in him no more in his body".

At the start of the trial, prosecutors began by showing the nine-minute long videotape, shot by one of the bystanders, that showed Mr Chauvin kneeling on 46-year-old Mr Floyd.

Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell told jurors that Mr Floyd said 27 times that he could not breathe.

The tape proves Mr Chauvin was "engaging in behaviour that was imminently dangerous... without regard for its impact on the body of George Floyd," Mr Blackwell said.

Defence lawyer Eric Nelson, in his opening statements, said that the evidence "is far greater than nine minutes and 29 seconds" of video footage.

He said the evidence would show Mr Floyd "died of a cardiac arrhythmia, that occurred as a result of hypertension, coronary disease, the ingestion of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and adrenaline flowing through his body".

The court also heard testimony from 911 police despatcher Jena Scurry, who deployed police to the Cup Foods shop after George Floyd was reported for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill.

A camera fixed on the side of the building allowed her to watch the arrest unfold. She admitted her viewing had been sporadic as she fielded other calls, but told jurors that she thought the "screens had frozen" because of the length of time Mr Floyd was kept on the ground and became "concerned that something might be wrong".

The court also heard from one of those who filmed the incident, Alisha Oyler, who had been working in a nearby shop.

Before the trial began, Mr Floyd's family, civil rights lawyers and activists knelt outside the courthouse for the length of time Mr Chauvin kept his knee on Mr Floyd's neck.

What more

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56572472

 

[MenInG]

It's the second day of one of the most high-profile trials in recent US history

==

One of the most vocal bystanders was Donald Williams, who says he was trained in mixed martial arts.

He told the prosecution he believed he’d witnessed a murder and placed a call to 911 – in effect calling the police on the police.

In earlier testimony he said that Chauvin was using a dangerous technique called a “blood choke” and that the former police officer was moving his knee back and forth to increase the pressure.

This is important for the prosecution’s case that the use of force was the primary cause of death.

The defence will argue that it was a combination of a drug overdose and Floyd’s poor health.

 

[MenInG]

The witness being questioned is talking about what she saw, including that other officers were there besides Chauvin.

In the footage of George Floyd's death played by prosecutors, other officers were seen keeping bystanders back as Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck.

So what is happening to them?

The three other officers involved with Floyd’s death are J Alexander Kueng, Tou Thao and Thomas Lane. Each is facing two charges of aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder and manslaughter.

Their fates in part rest with Chauvin’s, for if prosecutors can’t convict Chauvin, the case against the other officers will become harder to prove as well.

 

[Saj]

The prosecution are arguing it was the drugs which actually caused him to die. It will be intersting how they debate this with the defence.

Your thoughts after watching the video, looks like murder?

It's the defence who are trying to say it was drugs that contributed to his death.

Looks clear cut to me, 3 grown men putting their body weight weight on a man laid face-down on the ground, with one of them putting his knee into his neck for over 9 minutes.

 

[sweep_shot]

George Floyd: Teenage witness 'stays up apologising for not doing more'

The teenager whose film of George Floyd's death sparked global protests said she "stays up apologising" to him for "not doing more".

Darnella, who was 17 at the time, was one of four young witnesses who gave gripping descriptions on the second day of Derek Chauvin's trial.

In emotional testimony, she compared Mr Floyd to her dad, brother, cousins and uncles "because they are all black".

The case has brought issues of racial equality and policing to the fore.

On Monday, the opening session of the trial heard Mr Chauvin, an ex-police officer, knelt on Mr Floyd's neck for over nine minutes while arresting him in Minneapolis in May 2020. Prosecutors say this was a "major cause" in his death.

Defence lawyers have indicated they will argue that 46-year-old Mr Floyd died of an overdose. Mr Chauvin, 45, denies charges of murder and manslaughter.

Three other officers who were present - Tou Thao, J Alexander Keung and Thomas Lane - will go on trial later in the year.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56585165.

 

[Gilly]

It's the defence who are trying to say it was drugs that contributed to his death.

Looks clear cut to me, 3 grown men putting their body weight weight on a man laid face-down on the ground, with one of them putting his knee into his neck for over 9 minutes.

Before everyone jumps on me claiming I'm supporting anything you have to look at all the evidence that will be provided. Its easy to to jump to conclusions and not take all the evidence into consideration.

Some of the things that the defence will argue is that Floyd was claiming he could not breathe when he was sitting in the police car and asked to lay down on the road. The toxicology report will determine if he had drugs in his system. The officer was following police procedure when putting his knee onto Floyd's shoulders/neck.

The media and social media will at the end of the trial will incite more riots that is one thing we can be sure about.

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56585165

The teenager whose film of George Floyd's death sparked global protests said she "stays up apologising" to him for "not doing more".

Darnella, now 18, was one of four young witnesses to take the stand on the second day of Derek Chauvin's trial.

She told the court of seeing Mr Floyd "begging for his life", comparing him to her dad, brother, cousins and uncles "because they are all black".

Issues of racial equality and policing lay at the centre of the case. On Monday, the opening session of the trial heard Mr Chauvin, an ex-police officer, knelt on Mr Floyd's neck for over nine minutes while arresting him in Minneapolis in May 2020. Prosecutors say this was a "major cause" in his death.

Defence lawyers have indicated they will argue that 46-year-old Mr Floyd died of an overdose. Mr Chauvin, 45, denies charges of murder and manslaughter.

Three other officers who were present - Tou Thao, J Alexander Keung and Thomas Lane - will go on trial later in the year. Four children who were all under 18 at the time of the incident gave evidence to the court, but the cameras were switched off so the jurors could not see them and they were identified only by their first names. Darnella, then 17 years old, was walking to the Cup Foods shop with her nine-year-old cousin when they came across the arrest on the street outside.

She told the court she started filming on her phone because "I saw a man terrified, begging for his life. It wasn't right - he was in pain."

She described hearing Mr Floyd "saying 'I can't breathe'. He was terrified, he was calling for his mom."

Darnella said witnessing his death had changed her life.

"When I look at George Floyd I look at my dad, I look at my brother, my cousins, my uncles - because they are all black," she said, audibly crying. "And I look at how that could have been one of them."

"I stay up apologising to George Floyd for not doing more."

Her young cousin also gave evidence and said she felt "sad and kind of mad" by what she saw. "It sounded like he was hurting". Two friends, Alissa, 18, and Kalen, 17, had driven up to the store when they came across the arrest. Both described feeling helpless as they watched Mr Floyd's last moments before "he was just laying there, no longer fighting or resisting".

The last witness of the day was Genevieve Hansen, an off-duty firefighter, who said the officers prevented her from administering medical help that would have saved Mr Floyd's life. She was rebuked by the judge for her testy responses to defence questioning. One witness, Donald Williams II, who is trained in mixed martial arts, was questioned for over an hour by the prosecution and defence on Monday and again on Tuesday.

He told the court Mr Chauvin had used a dangerous technique called a "blood choke" and was moving his knee back and forth to increase the pressure on Mr Floyd's back and neck. He rejected defence suggestions that he and other bystanders' interactions with police had been threatening to the officers there.

In opening statements on Monday, Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell told the jury that Mr Chauvin had "betrayed his badge" by kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck, and using "excessive and unreasonable force" to detain him.

Meanwhile, Mr Chauvin's lawyer Eric Nelson said the case was about the evidence, not about a "political or social cause". He said Mr Floyd had ingested drugs at the time of his arrest "in an effort to conceal them to police", and suggested this contributed to his death.

Mr Chauvin has been silent but remained engaged during the proceedings, taking almost constant notes on a yellow legal pad while listening to the evidence. Darnella's video footage of Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd's neck was replayed the world over and sparked mass protests and a racial reckoning in the US.

To many, Floyd's death while in police custody became a vivid symbol of police brutality - particularly against people of colour - and it sparked worldwide demonstrations for racial justice.

But despite the global outcry this is not an open and shut case. In the US, police are rarely convicted for deaths that occur while they are on duty, if they are charged at all.

The verdict in this case will be widely seen as an indication of how the US legal system treats deaths that occur while in police custody.

 

[Technics 1210]

Before everyone jumps on me claiming I'm supporting anything you have to look at all the evidence that will be provided. Its easy to to jump to conclusions and not take all the evidence into consideration.

Some of the things that the defence will argue is that Floyd was claiming he could not breathe when he was sitting in the police car and asked to lay down on the road. The toxicology report will determine if he had drugs in his system. The officer was following police procedure when putting his knee onto Floyd's shoulders/neck.

The media and social media will at the end of the trial will incite more riots that is one thing we can be sure about.

This.

If the police officer followed procedures then chances are he will escape the charge of second degree murder.

 

[Shariq7]

A police officer has a duty to closely monitor a suspect's well-being if he is applying neck restraint on the suspect. I haven't seen the video but if Chauvin really had his knees on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes causing Floyd to lose his life, it would be reasonable to assume that he was not closely monitoring Floyd's well-being.

If Chauvin did not monitor Floyd's well-being, he could not have been following police procedure. If he was not following police procedure, he would be unable to use this as a defense.

Furthermore, for drugs to be a successful defense, Chauvin would have to show that the drugs were the sole cause of Floyd's death, and Chavin's act did not cause or contribute to Floyd's loss of life in any way. I don't think that it's going to be an easy task proving that to the jury.

Finally, one of the elements in second-degree murder is extreme indifference to the value of human life. The prosecutor will argue that Chauvin demonstrated extreme indifference to the value of Floyd's life by placing his knees and putting pressure on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes. A reasonable person and especially an experienced police officer should be aware that such an act has a high probability of causing death. Chauvin showed extreme indifference to Floyd's life because he was or should have been aware that his act had a high probability of causing Floyd's death.

I'd be really surprised if Chavin gets away with this but never say never.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Before everyone jumps on me claiming I'm supporting anything you have to look at all the evidence that will be provided. Its easy to to jump to conclusions and not take all the evidence into consideration.

Some of the things that the defence will argue is that Floyd was claiming he could not breathe when he was sitting in the police car and asked to lay down on the road. The toxicology report will determine if he had drugs in his system. The officer was following police procedure when putting his knee onto Floyd's shoulders/neck.

The media and social media will at the end of the trial will incite more riots that is one thing we can be sure about.

This.

If the police officer followed procedures then chances are he will escape the charge of second degree murder.

Is there any link to these police guidlines?

If the copper was following official protocols in restraint, not sure how he can be found guilty of anything. I think the issue is the length of time this hold, in MMA terms known as chokehold was applied. If applied in the correct manner and if it was needed.

I wrote prosecution earlier by mistake, the defence suggesting it was the drugs which killed him.

The outcome of this trial could cause even bigger mass riots.

 

[Saj]

A court has been examining CCTV footage of George Floyd taken shortly before his death, as the murder trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin enters its third day.

The footage provides the first glimpse of Mr Floyd's actions inside a grocery store, where he is alleged to have used a counterfeit $20 note.

Shop employee Christopher Martin is the latest witness to take the stand.

Mr Floyd's death in May sparked global protests about racism and policing.

Mr Chauvin was filmed pressing his knee on Mr Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes before he died.

The 45-year-old denies charges of murder and manslaughter. Defence lawyers have indicated they will argue that 46-year-old Mr Floyd died of an overdose.

Christopher Martin, 19, told the court on Wednesday he briefly interacted with Mr Floyd as a customer inside Cup Foods shortly before his arrest.

He said he "appeared to be high" because he struggled to respond to a simple question, but he was ultimately able to hold a conversation. He described Mr Floyd as "friendly and approachable... living his life".

The court was shown surveillance video, showing Mr Floyd laughing, talking to people, and walking around.

Mr Martin told the jury he sold Mr Floyd a packet of cigarettes, and received a counterfeit note as payment. He said he considered letting the shop deduct it from his wages instead of confronting Mr Floyd, but then decided to tell his manager. Another employee went on to call the police.

Mr Martin said he felt "disbelief and guilt" because "if I'd have just not taken the bill, this could have been avoided".

In opening statements on Monday, Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell told the jury that Mr Chauvin had "betrayed his badge" by kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck, and using "excessive and unreasonable force" to detain him.

Meanwhile, Mr Chauvin's lawyer Eric Nelson said the case was about the evidence, not about a "political or social cause". He said Mr Floyd had ingested drugs at the time of his arrest "in an effort to conceal them from the police", and suggested this contributed to his death.

Four young witnesses took to the stand on Tuesday. Darnella - the teenager whose film of Mr Floyd's death sparked global protests - said she "stays up apologising" to him for "not doing more".

She told the court she started filming on her phone because she "saw a man terrified, begging for his life".

"It wasn't right - he was in pain," she said.

One witness, Donald Williams II, who is trained in mixed martial arts, was questioned for more than an hour by the prosecution and defence on Monday and again on Tuesday. He told the court Mr Chauvin had used a dangerous technique called a "blood choke" and was moving his knee back and forth to increase the pressure on Mr Floyd's back and neck.

He rejected defence suggestions that he and other bystanders' interactions with police had been threatening to the officers there.

Genevieve Hansen, a Minneapolis firefighter and emergency medical technician who was off duty at the time of the arrest, said she was "desperate to help" Mr Floyd but officers would not let her.

Mr Chauvin has been silent but remained engaged during the proceedings, taking almost constant notes on a yellow legal pad while listening to the evidence.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56594099

 

[KingKhanWC]

Mr Martin told the jury he sold Mr Floyd a packet of cigarettes, and received a counterfeit note as payment. He said he considered letting the shop deduct it from his wages instead of confronting Mr Floyd, but then decided to tell his manager. Another employee went on to call the police.

This sounds like nonsense to me. Why would any employee in a shop(prob on low wages) be willing to let any criminal walk off after giving him/her a fake note and then consider the money to be taken from their own wages? Is he the pope?

A lot of these witnesses seem to be using emotional rhetoric, feeling sorry for the victim and feeling guilty. The jurors may also feel the same meaning the trial may not be fair.

 

[Saj]

The bodycam footage from the police officers shown in court today is harrowing.

I mean these people are supposed to serve the community, not kill them.

 

[sweep_shot]

Derek Chauvin trial: New footage shows George Floyd pleading with officers

<iframe width="400" height="500" frameborder="0" src="https://www.bbc.com/news/av-embeds/56594099/vpid/p09cfg57"></iframe>

A court has been shown new police bodycam footage of George Floyd pleading with officers during his arrest, saying: "I'm not a bad guy."

The video comes as the murder trial of ex-officer Derek Chauvin continues for a third day. In it, Mr Floyd is seen begging for police not to harm him.

The footage also shows Mr Chauvin with his knee on Mr Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes.

Mr Floyd's 2020 death sparked global protests over policing and racism.

Mr Chauvin, 45, denies charges of murder and manslaughter. Defence lawyers have indicated they will argue that 46-year-old Mr Floyd died of an overdose and poor health, and the force used was reasonable.

Observers of the trial say footage shown of Mr Floyd's actions before and during the arrest may be an attempt by prosecutors to deal with the allegation that drugs played a part in his death.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56594099.

 

[MenInG]

George Floyd's girlfriend has given emotional testimony as the murder trial of former US police officer Derek Chauvin enters its fourth day.

Courteney Ross told the court of their first kiss, and their struggle with opioid addiction.

Meanwhile a paramedic said he had to indicate Mr Chauvin should move off Mr Floyd's limp body when he arrived.

The white officer was filmed kneeling on African-American Mr Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes last May.

It sparked global protests over policing and racism.

Mr Chauvin, 45, denies charges of murder and manslaughter.

What did Floyd's girlfriend say?

Ms Ross is the first person to testify who personally knew Mr Floyd.

She told the court that she met Mr Floyd in 2017 in the lobby of a Salvation Army homeless shelter, where he worked as a security guard and she was waiting to see the father of her son. She said Mr Floyd asked if she would pray with him.

"It was so sweet and at the time I had lost a lot of faith in God," she said, adding that they kissed that night.

She said their first meeting was "one of my favourite stories to tell".

Ms Ross said they both suffered from chronic pain, and were addicted to opioids.

"Addiction, in my opinion, is a lifelong struggle," she said. "It's not something that comes and goes, it's something I'll deal with forever."

She did not specifically address whether Mr Floyd was using opioids on the day he died.

A statement from Floyd family lawyers Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci denounced "defence attempts to construct the narrative that George Floyd's cause of death was the Fentanyl in his system".

"We want to remind the world who witnessed his death on video that George was walking, talking, laughing, and breathing just fine before Derek Chauvin held his knee to George's neck, blocking his ability to breathe and extinguishing his life," it said.

BBC

 

[Saj]

Paramedics turned up and realised that Floyd was dead, yet Chauvin still wouldn't take his knee off his neck.

Incredible.

 

[Stewie]

This sounds like nonsense to me. Why would any employee in a shop(prob on low wages) be willing to let any criminal walk off after giving him/her a fake note and then consider the money to be taken from their own wages? Is he the pope?

A lot of these witnesses seem to be using emotional rhetoric, feeling sorry for the victim and feeling guilty. The jurors may also feel the same meaning the trial may not be fair.

This doesn’t sound right. From all the accounts I have read, he immediately told his supervisor who called the cops right away. And the cops arrived while Floyd was getting in his car. So it just have all happened within less than 5-10 minutes.

I don’t think he hesitated at all. But I don’t doubt that he felt sorry for what happened afterwards. Still it’s not the clerk’s fault. By the way he quit his job right after because he says it would be too dangerous for him.

 

[Stewie]

Paramedics turned up and realised that Floyd was dead, yet Chauvin still wouldn't take his knee off his neck.

Incredible.

I don’t care what people say about BLM and that he has drugs in his system and was a criminal and trying to peddle counterfeit bills...

What happened to him was wrong and injustice and this cop deserves to be punished for his crime.

 

[sweep_shot]

Derek Chauvin trial: Paramedics say Floyd had no pulse when they arrived

Two paramedics have told a Minneapolis court that George Floyd had no pulse and did not appear to be breathing when they arrived at the scene.

Former police officer Derek Chauvin is accused of killing Mr Floyd by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes during an arrest in May 2020.

Paramedic Seth Bravindar said he had to ask Mr Chauvin to get off Mr Floyd so that they could access the patient.

Earlier, the court heard emotional testimony from Mr Floyd's girlfriend.

Courteney Ross described their first kiss, and their struggle with opioid addiction on the fourth day of Mr Chauvin's trial.

Mr Chauvin, 45, who was fired from the Minneapolis police force, denies charges of murder and manslaughter.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56606418.

 

[Technics 1210]

After 6 burglaries, 3 car thefts, multiple illegal trespasses, an ongoing cocaine and alcohol addiction, committing 2 violent home invasions, 3 armed robberies, dealing Fentanyl and Meth, passing counterfeit money, beating 4 victims senseless and being arrested 23 times since 1998. George Floyd hasn’t committed a crime in over 11 months!

But it did net his family $27 MILLION!

 

[Technics 1210]

Seems like bodycam footage has saved Chauvin from second degree charges (based on legal commentary).

Chauvin approached the vehicle calmly, didn't use any racist slurs or agressive language/behaviour, and the bodycam crucially shows that when Floyd complained about not feeling well, he was asked to stay in the car.

Floyd resisted.

In other words, the police followed procedure up to the point Floyd was on the ground.

One thing for sure, Chauvin isn't being accused of racism here, which is how it should be, because this is a case of police brutality, not a racially motivated attack as the media portrayed it to be.

 

[CricketCartoons]

can't believe a criminal's death became the rallying cry for BLM. What is the message that it sends? That whether law abiding citizens, or thugs, we are blacks first? This is not humanitarianism, but black supremacism.

 

[Saj]

Seems like bodycam footage has saved Chauvin from second degree charges (based on legal commentary).

Chauvin approached the vehicle calmly, didn't use any racist slurs or agressive language/behaviour, and the bodycam crucially shows that when Floyd complained about not feeling well, he was asked to stay in the car.

Floyd resisted.

In other words, the police followed procedure up to the point Floyd was on the ground.

One thing for sure, Chauvin isn't being accused of racism here, which is how it should be, because this is a case of police brutality, not a racially motivated attack as the media portrayed it to be.

Floyd was dragged out of his car.

In addition one of the police officers approached his vehicle and immediately pulled out a gun and pointed it at him.

 

[Saj]

For the first time we've now seen what happened in the moments after George Floyd's arrest.

Two paramedics arrived at the scene and saw a number of police officers on top of him.

They assumed the patient was putting up a struggle. On closer inspection they found he was in fact unresponsive.

The court heard officers stayed on George Floyd's neck while one paramedic tried to detect a pulse. He didn't find one.

"In lay terms, I thought he was dead," said Derek Smith.

More harrowing bodycam footage shows the other paramedic Seth Bravinder gesturing for the officers to move.

They then pull George Floyd's "limp" body onto a stretcher and into the ambulance.

A cardiac monitor showed George Floyd was flatlining - essentially there was no pulse.

It was only after the ambulance arrived that George Floyd received medical attention. By this point paramedics already believed him to be dead.

It's going to be an uphill battle for the defence to justify Derek Chauvin's actions - keeping his knee on George Floyd's neck - when he was in the condition described by the paramedics as "unresponsive", "limp", and "dead".

The prosecution has once again sought to deal with the issue of George Floyd's drug use.

Emotional testimony from his girlfriend Courteney Ross described how they both suffered from an opioid addiction over a number of years.

It's another pre-emptive strike by prosecutors seeking to take the wind out of the defence's sails, who will likely claim he died of a drug overdose.

Mr Basrai’s ready to reopen to Edinburgh diners
Why did The Bonfire of the Vanities go from bestselling book to box-office bomb?

a person standing next to a fence: Two paramedics told a jury they arrived to find Mr Floyd 'limp' and 'unresponsive'. Pic: AP© Associated Press Two paramedics told a jury they arrived to find Mr Floyd 'limp' and 'unresponsive'. Pic: AP
For the first time we've now seen what happened in the moments after George Floyd's arrest.

Two paramedics arrived at the scene and saw a number of police officers on top of him.

They assumed the patient was putting up a struggle. On closer inspection they found he was in fact unresponsive.

The court heard officers stayed on George Floyd's neck while one paramedic tried to detect a pulse. He didn't find one.

"In lay terms, I thought he was dead," said Derek Smith.

More harrowing bodycam footage shows the other paramedic Seth Bravinder gesturing for the officers to move.

They then pull George Floyd's "limp" body onto a stretcher and into the ambulance.

a person standing in front of a computer: George Floyd treated by paramedic. Image from court© Other George Floyd treated by paramedic. Image from court
A cardiac monitor showed George Floyd was flatlining - essentially there was no pulse.

It was only after the ambulance arrived that George Floyd received medical attention. By this point paramedics already believed him to be dead.

It's going to be an uphill battle for the defence to justify Derek Chauvin's actions - keeping his knee on George Floyd's neck - when he was in the condition described by the paramedics as "unresponsive", "limp", and "dead".

a group of people sitting at a desk: Derek Chauvin (R) listens during the opening of his trial© Reuters Derek Chauvin (R) listens during the opening of his trial
The prosecution has once again sought to deal with the issue of George Floyd's drug use.

Emotional testimony from his girlfriend Courteney Ross described how they both suffered from an opioid addiction over a number of years.

It's another pre-emptive strike by prosecutors seeking to take the wind out of the defence's sails, who will likely claim he died of a drug overdose.

The prosecution strategy is to show George Floyd had used drugs long-term - so why would opioids have killed him on 25 May last year?

The big difference that day, they will argue, is Derek Chauvin's knee was on his neck.

Prosecutors are seeking to appear transparent with the jury that George Floyd was no angel.

He took drugs and he may have been high and have resisted arrest on the day in question.

But they will seek to show he was a human being with flaws like the rest of us and none of those things killed him.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/worl...ent-of-george-floyd/ar-BB1fdTA0?ocid=msedgdhp

 

[Technics 1210]

Floyd was dragged out of his car.

In addition one of the police officers approached his vehicle and immediately pulled out a gun and pointed it at him.

He was dragged out because he was not complying with instructions and resisting arrest.

The videos also reveal how Floyd said he was having difficulty breathing before he was pulled to the ground, thus demonstrating the knee wasn't what triggered his breathing problems, it was the drugs.

 

[Saj]

In other words, the police followed procedure up to the point Floyd was on the ground.

That's correct if pointing a gun at a man even before you have spoken with him properly is following procedure.

The videos also reveal how Floyd said he was having difficulty breathing before he was pulled to the ground, thus demonstrating the knee wasn't what triggered his breathing problems, it was the drugs.

The police officer had his knee on his neck for over 9 minutes. That's what killed him - the excuse about drugs and whatever else is a load of rubbish.

 

[Technics 1210]

That's correct if pointing a gun at a man even before you have spoken with him properly is following procedure.

The police officer had his knee on his neck for over 9 minutes. That's what killed him - the excuse about drugs and whatever else is a load of rubbish.

The officer who pulled the gun wasn't Chauvin which means if the defence can prove he followed procedure, he will walk free.

You can say the excuse of drugs is rubbish but the facts are Floyd was having breathing troubles (by his own admission) before the knee on his neck, which proves the knee didn't 'trigger' his breathing difficulties but the drugs did.

 

[Gilly]

That's correct if pointing a gun at a man even before you have spoken with him properly is following procedure.



The police officer had his knee on his neck for over 9 minutes. That's what killed him - the excuse about drugs and whatever else is a load of rubbish.

If justice is the desired outcome then all evidence must be presented, you can't discount some evidence just to get a preconceived judgement. Floyd deserves to have all evidence heard just like Chauvin does, social media is not ideal for getting to the truth.

The autopsy report from Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office concludes the cause of death was "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression." That conclusion, death due to heart failure, differs from the one reached by an independent examiner hired by the Floyd family; that report listed the cause of death as "asphyxiation from sustained pressure."

This medical examiner's report does not mention asphyxiation. However, according to prosecutors, in charging documents filed last week, early results "revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation."

 

[KingKhanWC]

After 6 burglaries, 3 car thefts, multiple illegal trespasses, an ongoing cocaine and alcohol addiction, committing 2 violent home invasions, 3 armed robberies, dealing Fentanyl and Meth, passing counterfeit money, beating 4 victims senseless and being arrested 23 times since 1998. George Floyd hasn’t committed a crime in over 11 months!

But it did net his family $27 MILLION!

Its strange we see paintings of him with a halo above his head, the bloke was a grade a criminal, to put it kindly.

Imagine the pain his victims are feeling seeing him made into some kind of hero?

As for the trial. The cops former superiour officer gave testimony he was on his neck longer than he needed to be, this could be crucial.

Its interesting the cop followed procedure, this chock on the knee is part of the guidelines.

So far I think it he may be found guilty of 2nd degree but this wont be enough for BLM, they are arming up as we type.

 

[Stewie]

Its strange we see paintings of him with a halo above his head, the bloke was a grade a criminal, to put it kindly.

Imagine the pain his victims are feeling seeing him made into some kind of hero?

As for the trial. The cops former superiour officer gave testimony he was on his neck longer than he needed to be, this could be crucial.

Its interesting the cop followed procedure, this chock on the knee is part of the guidelines.

So far I think it he may be found guilty of 2nd degree but this wont be enough for BLM, they are arming up as we type.

I think a lot of people, who are not black, struggle to understand this concept. Floyd is not a one off incident, and he was no angel. I get it. But also understand how he has become a symbol for the struggle of blacks people who have been unfair victims of some questionable police procedures in the US. Notice how I said “police procedures” and did not use racism as the reason. Whether racism exists or not, I think we all know the answer to that.

So this guy has now become the symbol of this cause? Why? Because his case is the strongest one so far. We had the Trayvon Martin case a few years ago .. that was pretty big too. But in this case, there are videos, eye witnesses and all sorts of stuff which we didn’t get with Trayvon martin case and a few others since then. There is a cop on video with his knee on a guy’s neck!
What’s important to note is that in almost all cases the police have gotten away with it. No criminal charges have been filed at all.

In short it’s not the guy, but the unfortunate incident, which has made him a symbol of this struggle. I guess it depends on how you look at it. You may not sympathize with the man, but you can sympathize with the cause, which I think is righteous.

 

[Stewie]

Its strange we see paintings of him with a halo above his head, the bloke was a grade a criminal, to put it kindly.

Imagine the pain his victims are feeling seeing him made into some kind of hero?

As for the trial. The cops former superiour officer gave testimony he was on his neck longer than he needed to be, this could be crucial.

Its interesting the cop followed procedure, this chock on the knee is part of the guidelines.

So far I think it he may be found guilty of 2nd degree but this wont be enough for BLM, they are arming up as we type.

By the way, you are incorrect on the knee on neck being standard SOP when a guy is not resisting. There are videos that show he was not resisting, he was subdued and he was handcuffed. Also I do not believe the SOP ask for knee choke to be persisted with for such a long period of time when the person is unable to breathe.

I think these are all factors that has magnified the outrageousness of the issue.

 

[KingKhanWC]

I think a lot of people, who are not black, struggle to understand this concept. Floyd is not a one off incident, and he was no angel. I get it. But also understand how he has become a symbol for the struggle of blacks people who have been unfair victims of some questionable police procedures in the US. Notice how I said “police procedures” and did not use racism as the reason. Whether racism exists or not, I think we all know the answer to that.

So this guy has now become the symbol of this cause? Why? Because his case is the strongest one so far. We had the Trayvon Martin case a few years ago .. that was pretty big too. But in this case, there are videos, eye witnesses and all sorts of stuff which we didn’t get with Trayvon martin case and a few others since then. There is a cop on video with his knee on a guy’s neck!
What’s important to note is that in almost all cases the police have gotten away with it. No criminal charges have been filed at all.

In short it’s not the guy, but the unfortunate incident, which has made him a symbol of this struggle. I guess it depends on how you look at it. You may not sympathize with the man, but you can sympathize with the cause, which I think is righteous.

I see your reasons but we've had plenty of black guys on video being shot. Floyds death was a great opportunity for political advantage by the Democrats, they used his death as propaganda to get votes, which were crucial in beating Trump imo.

Again its not the cops fault the guidlines tell him to put his knee on any dangerous suspects neck. The issue is if he used pre-meditated extra force in order to take his life. So far the evidence for this is being debated.

Even if this cop if found guilty, the police force of the US wont change much, the cops will only be more smarter when they want to kill anyone. Sorry to say but violent mentality is huge in America, there are many reasons, one is Yanks are gun loving people and other reasons include how they openly smile when they bomb, shoot people in foriegn lands. This will never change imo.

 

[KingKhanWC]

By the way, you are incorrect on the knee on neck being standard SOP when a guy is not resisting. There are videos that show he was not resisting, he was subdued and he was handcuffed. Also I do not believe the SOP ask for knee choke to be persisted with for such a long period of time when the person is unable to breathe.

I think these are all factors that has magnified the outrageousness of the issue.

It may because they worked at the same venue years ago, may have known each other, could some sort of revenge. Or simply they were worried due to his violent past and felt he was lying when he stated he cant breathe as this was said before he was held down.

Meanwhile in the US

Car Rams US Capitol Barricade, Injuring 2 Officers; Driver Shot

https://www.voanews.com/usa/car-rams-us-capitol-barricade-injuring-2-officers-driver-shot

Its like GTA sometimes in America!

 

[Stewie]

I see your reasons but we've had plenty of black guys on video being shot. Floyds death was a great opportunity for political advantage by the Democrats, they used his death as propaganda to get votes, which were crucial in beating Trump imo.

Again its not the cops fault the guidlines tell him to put his knee on any dangerous suspects neck. The issue is if he used pre-meditated extra force in order to take his life. So far the evidence for this is being debated.

Even if this cop if found guilty, the police force of the US wont change much, the cops will only be more smarter when they want to kill anyone. Sorry to say but violent mentality is huge in America, there are many reasons, one is Yanks are gun loving people and other reasons include how they openly smile when they bomb, shoot people in foriegn lands. This will never change imo.

That’s the RW narrative you are quoting. Think about it. This issue concerns majority blacks with some minority folks such as myself who sympathize with him. Most of such people are already Democrat voters.
There is no way we would have voted for Trump.
Elections are decided by swing voters in swing states who are generally blue collar white people.
Dems always get the minority vote contrary to what RW media peddles. So no.. this was not an election issue.. this is not completely apolitical but also not election related. You can look up BLM on the web. RW media wants to portray it as a political wing of Dems which is also not correct. It’s an independent movement.

And regarding other black people being shot on video, I agree there are videos but you have to look at the evidence individually on a case by case basis. In all of them even with videos, the police got away! That’s the absurdity of it all, isn’t it? It’s not the presence of videos this time, but also the sheer brutality and unnecessary use of force, even abuse of force, several eye witnesses, fragrance of SOP, etc That makes it the strongest case against police brutality. Also the perp was not resisting, he was not running away, he was not armed, he did not pose any immediate threat to the lives and safety of cops, etc. all these have been factors in the previous cars where the cops shot someone “allegedly” armed or used the defense that they feared for their safety because the perp was aggressive or threatening or not obeying their commands. All of those reasons don’t exist in this case from all the videos I have seen. Which makes Floyd the poster boy for police brutality unlike the previous cases. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Stewie]

So a case in point here will be the Capitol riots for you guys who think this is an election gimmick or political stunt.

These were mostly white men openly abusing the law and putting cops lives in danger, killed one cop and there were obvious threats to lawmakers in Congress .. they were shouting “hang Mike Pence” for eff’s sakes.

But did the police use brutal force? Almost none. They actually shook hands with some of them. If you are a minority.. black, Asian, Latino, whatever.. I challenge you to do something like this and get away with it. The American cops would actually bury you. They will be all over the media and news talking about law and order and how we are under threat from these terrorists. But when it’s the majority whites engaging in violent riots, somehow the narrative changes to right to protest.
So you tell me, isn’t that political posturing and election related?

I guess both sides are culprits of engaging in such loathsome tactics but when it comes to police brutality whether for votes or not, it is ABSOLUTELY a major issue for minorities ... that’s something the majority whites would never ever admit. So I am ok if a criminal becomes an angel for the cause because I believe in it.

 

[KingKhanWC]

That’s the RW narrative you are quoting. Think about it. This issue concerns majority blacks with some minority folks such as myself who sympathize with him. Most of such people are already Democrat voters.
There is no way we would have voted for Trump.
Elections are decided by swing voters in swing states who are generally blue collar white people.
Dems always get the minority vote contrary to what RW media peddles. So no.. this was not an election issue.. this is not completely apolitical but also not election related. You can look up BLM on the web. RW media wants to portray it as a political wing of Dems which is also not correct. It’s an independent movement.

And regarding other black people being shot on video, I agree there are videos but you have to look at the evidence individually on a case by case basis. In all of them even with videos, the police got away! That’s the absurdity of it all, isn’t it? It’s not the presence of videos this time, but also the sheer brutality and unnecessary use of force, even abuse of force, several eye witnesses, fragrance of SOP, etc That makes it the strongest case against police brutality. Also the perp was not resisting, he was not running away, he was not armed, he did not pose any immediate threat to the lives and safety of cops, etc. all these have been factors in the previous cars where the cops shot someone “allegedly” armed or used the defense that they feared for their safety because the perp was aggressive or threatening or not obeying their commands. All of those reasons don’t exist in this case from all the videos I have seen. Which makes Floyd the poster boy for police brutality unlike the previous cases. Hope that makes sense.

It might be independant, its funding may suggest otherwise but the crucial point is Dems got blacks out to vote for them. If it werent for Floyd and Trumps rhetotic combined, they wouldnt have bothered voting. Am I wrong to say more blacks voted than ever before? Nothing to do with RW narrative, its my own observations.

Its clearly police brutality for most but is it 1st degree murder? You may know the US criminal law better than I but when you put the factors together, he commited a crime, he was high on serious drugs, he has a very violent history. The cop then followed guidlines, showed no racism towards him, did this with other officers present, knowing he was being videod. It wont be easy to convict him of 1st degree murder, as you say Cops often get away with it.

In your view, if the cop is found not guilty, will this cause riots again? I just dont want BLM supporters in the UK to start destorying property here, it really is nothing to do with us Brits but BLM are extremists here, if not in the US.

 

[Shazzam]

The videos also reveal how Floyd said he was having difficulty breathing before he was pulled to the ground, thus demonstrating the knee wasn't what triggered his breathing problems, it was the drugs.

This makes his defense even worse if Floyd said he was having difficulty breathing than why did the officer feel the need to put his knee on the back of his neck? Shouldn’t the procedure be made to arrest the suspect safely without making his condition worse?

 

[Stewie]

It might be independant, its funding may suggest otherwise but the crucial point is Dems got blacks out to vote for them. If it werent for Floyd and Trumps rhetotic combined, they wouldnt have bothered voting. Am I wrong to say more blacks voted than ever before? Nothing to do with RW narrative, its my own observations.

Its clearly police brutality for most but is it 1st degree murder? You may know the US criminal law better than I but when you put the factors together, he commited a crime, he was high on serious drugs, he has a very violent history. The cop then followed guidlines, showed no racism towards him, did this with other officers present, knowing he was being videod. It wont be easy to convict him of 1st degree murder, as you say Cops often get away with it.

In your view, if the cop is found not guilty, will this cause riots again? I just dont want BLM supporters in the UK to start destorying property here, it really is nothing to do with us Brits but BLM are extremists here, if not in the US.

The funding part is always questionable, isn’t it? All causes get funding from those that are politically aligned with them. If I create a Muslim org in The US, I’ll get funding from Muslim Americans and possibly foreign Muslims, does that mean I have some nefarious plans? Non Muslim Americans may point fingers at me just like you are pointing at BLM but does that somehow lend credibility to your suspicions or take credibility away from those causes? I think you question these causes only if you do t believe in them and find reasons to question them .. not the other way around .. you are not given a reason to question this.. you are just digging for one with the statement about BLM funding...

And yes.. you are wrong to say that blacks turned out in mass numbers and voted against Trump. They didn’t. Trump actually had a larger share of black voters this election that previous ones (owing to a number of reasons I won’t get into)

Trump did not lose the election because a lot of blacks or latinos showed up for Biden. As always, Biden win because of the swing voters who turned up. And swing voters in most swing states are blue collared whites.. not the blacks.

 

[Stewie]

It might be independant, its funding may suggest otherwise but the crucial point is Dems got blacks out to vote for them. If it werent for Floyd and Trumps rhetotic combined, they wouldnt have bothered voting. Am I wrong to say more blacks voted than ever before? Nothing to do with RW narrative, its my own observations.

Its clearly police brutality for most but is it 1st degree murder? You may know the US criminal law better than I but when you put the factors together, he commited a crime, he was high on serious drugs, he has a very violent history. The cop then followed guidlines, showed no racism towards him, did this with other officers present, knowing he was being videod. It wont be easy to convict him of 1st degree murder, as you say Cops often get away with it.

In your view, if the cop is found not guilty, will this cause riots again? I just dont want BLM supporters in the UK to start destorying property here, it really is nothing to do with us Brits but BLM are extremists here, if not in the US.

No I honestly don’t know much about criminal law. My guess is as good as yours. But he has to be guilty for some of the charges. At least more than cops in past cases. And I think there will be riots if he is found not guilty. It will be an absolute travesty if he gets away with it. I agree BLM in UK should have nothing to do with it and they shouldn’t cause riots there. It will be nonsensical.

 

[KingKhanWC]

The funding part is always questionable, isn’t it? All causes get funding from those that are politically aligned with them. If I create a Muslim org in The US, I’ll get funding from Muslim Americans and possibly foreign Muslims, does that mean I have some nefarious plans? Non Muslim Americans may point fingers at me just like you are pointing at BLM but does that somehow lend credibility to your suspicions or take credibility away from those causes? I think you question these causes only if you do t believe in them and find reasons to question them .. not the other way around .. you are not given a reason to question this.. you are just digging for one with the statement about BLM funding...

And yes.. you are wrong to say that blacks turned out in mass numbers and voted against Trump. They didn’t. Trump actually had a larger share of black voters this election that previous ones (owing to a number of reasons I won’t get into)

Trump did not lose the election because a lot of blacks or latinos showed up for Biden. As always, Biden win because of the swing voters who turned up. And swing voters in most swing states are blue collared whites.. not the blacks.

I agree funding can be tough to make suggestions but more funding for BLM was from those who supported Democrats.

This suggests Im not wrong.

How Black voters lifted Biden's bid for the White House

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/05/black-voters-wisconsin-joe-biden

You may have missed by question but I'd like your view.

If the cop is found not guilty, do we expect more riots? Worse than before and will these riots spread to other lands , esp the UK which doesnt have such a problem with the police here?

 

[KingKhanWC]

So a case in point here will be the Capitol riots for you guys who think this is an election gimmick or political stunt.

These were mostly white men openly abusing the law and putting cops lives in danger, killed one cop and there were obvious threats to lawmakers in Congress .. they were shouting “hang Mike Pence” for eff’s sakes.

But did the police use brutal force? Almost none. They actually shook hands with some of them. If you are a minority.. black, Asian, Latino, whatever.. I challenge you to do something like this and get away with it. The American cops would actually bury you. They will be all over the media and news talking about law and order and how we are under threat from these terrorists. But when it’s the majority whites engaging in violent riots, somehow the narrative changes to right to protest.
So you tell me, isn’t that political posturing and election related?

I guess both sides are culprits of engaging in such loathsome tactics but when it comes to police brutality whether for votes or not, it is ABSOLUTELY a major issue for minorities ... that’s something the majority whites would never ever admit. So I am ok if a criminal becomes an angel for the cause because I believe in it.

The police clearly allowed them to enter and it didnt benefit Trump but Biden.

I agree it the police brutality against minorites in the US is disgusting, something needs to be done.

 

[Stewie]

I agree funding can be tough to make suggestions but more funding for BLM was from those who supported Democrats.

This suggests Im not wrong.



https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/05/black-voters-wisconsin-joe-biden

You may have missed by question but I'd like your view.

If the cop is found not guilty, do we expect more riots? Worse than before and will these riots spread to other lands , esp the UK which doesnt have such a problem with the police here?

I would still like to insist that you are misrepresenting the facts of where the funding is coming from. It is quite understandable that more Dems will contribute to BLM because their policies are more accepting, conscientious and understanding of minority causes. Republicans will never back or support them because that will indicate they are abandoning their majority white RW base with some latent racist tendencies (some not all, but lately a majority of Republicans voters have been whites without degrees who identify as al right... so go figure!) now my question to you is, somehow do you find this fact somehow nefarious or questionable to the legitimacy of their cause?

Like I said you made up a reason to question them not that somehow this is a reason to make you do so.


Now, I don’t know about this guardian article you shared but here is one with actual numbers from NBC which is a left leaning outlet. They say trump made gains with blacks

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk...ward-trump-record-numbers-polls-show-n1246447

I’ll let you in on a little secret. Biden did not win the election. Trump lost it. It wasn’t BLM, it wasn’t Floyd, it wasn’t any of that nonsense. It’s the same as 2016. Trump didn’t win then. It was Hillary who lost it. This time Trump lost the election because of covid, or rsther his mishandling of covid. Of covid had not happened he was a shoo-in. So let’s stop diverting attention away from the Floyd case using American election politics, please. I think you are doing a great injustice to the recent events and overall plight of blacks in the US. If it were Muslims in question, you would be all over the place bashing the other side.
I already answered your question about the riots in my last post. Read carefully.

 

[Stewie]

No I honestly don’t know much about criminal law. My guess is as good as yours. But he has to be guilty for some of the charges. At least more than cops in past cases. And I think there will be riots if he is found not guilty. It will be an absolute travesty if he gets away with it. I agree BLM in UK should have nothing to do with it and they shouldn’t cause riots there. It will be nonsensical.

Here!

 

[KingKhanWC]

I would still like to insist that you are misrepresenting the facts of where the funding is coming from. It is quite understandable that more Dems will contribute to BLM because their policies are more accepting, conscientious and understanding of minority causes. Republicans will never back or support them because that will indicate they are abandoning their majority white RW base with some latent racist tendencies (some not all, but lately a majority of Republicans voters have been whites without degrees who identify as al right... so go figure!) now my question to you is, somehow do you find this fact somehow nefarious or questionable to the legitimacy of their cause?

Like I said you made up a reason to question them not that somehow this is a reason to make you do so.


Now, I don’t know about this guardian article you shared but here is one with actual numbers from NBC which is a left leaning outlet. They say trump made gains with blacks

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk...ward-trump-record-numbers-polls-show-n1246447

I’ll let you in on a little secret. Biden did not win the election. Trump lost it. It wasn’t BLM, it wasn’t Floyd, it wasn’t any of that nonsense. It’s the same as 2016. Trump didn’t win then. It was Hillary who lost it. This time Trump lost the election because of covid, or rsther his mishandling of covid. Of covid had not happened he was a shoo-in. So let’s stop diverting attention away from the Floyd case using American election politics, please. I think you are doing a great injustice to the recent events and overall plight of blacks in the US. If it were Muslims in question, you would be all over the place bashing the other side.
I already answered your question about the riots in my last post. Read carefully.

The guardian is one of many articles I've read. The numbers show more blacks came out to vote and this impacted the election Bidens way, Ill stick to this view.

Its nothing to do with if it were Muslims....because the cop didnt show any racism towards floyd, its police brutality and murder being questioned here.

The trial continues, so lets wait for further developments. I just hope BLM clowns in the UK are clamped down like other protestors have here. Appreciate your responses.

One final question, are you 100% sure the cop will be found guilty of 1st degree murder?

 

[Stewie]

The guardian is one of many articles I've read. The numbers show more blacks came out to vote and this impacted the election Bidens way, Ill stick to this view.

Its nothing to do with if it were Muslims....because the cop didnt show any racism towards floyd, its police brutality and murder being questioned here.

The trial continues, so lets wait for further developments. I just hope BLM clowns in the UK are clamped down like other protestors have here. Appreciate your responses.

One final question, are you 100% sure the cop will be found guilty of 1st degree murder?

In desi parlance “na mein wakeel aan, na jury ich meray chachey da putter bheta na, na judge mera sora ai, te fer meray kolon phuch ke tainoo ki labbey ga?”

You are asking the wrong guy. I have no clue what will happen. I was sure OJ would be found guilty in the 90s and he got away with it.. so .... who knows!

 

[Saj]

If justice is the desired outcome then all evidence must be presented, you can't discount some evidence just to get a preconceived judgement. Floyd deserves to have all evidence heard just like Chauvin does, social media is not ideal for getting to the truth.

I'm not following the trial on social media. I have watched live coverage on Sky and CNN.

All the evidence has to be heard, but so far Chauvin hasn't got a leg to stand on. The evidence from members of the public, his police colleagues, firefighters, paramedics has been damning of his actions.

 

[KingKhanWC]

In desi parlance “na mein wakeel aan, na jury ich meray chachey da putter bheta na, na judge mera sora ai, te fer meray kolon phuch ke tainoo ki labbey ga?”

You are asking the wrong guy. I have no clue what will happen. I was sure OJ would be found guilty in the 90s and he got away with it.. so .... who knows!

Oh yes that famous glove didnt fit. Imo it was OJ's son and he wasnt guilty.

The other issue I have with this case is, the jury must have some sort of emotional connection to this case. Usually in a murder trial, the jury has no clue who was murdered and who the supsect is. After watching the news, the riots etc surely the Jurors already have pre-concieved ideas of guilt?

 

[Stewie]

Oh yes that famous glove didnt fit. Imo it was OJ's son and he wasnt guilty.

The other issue I have with this case is, the jury must have some sort of emotional connection to this case. Usually in a murder trial, the jury has no clue who was murdered and who the supsect is. After watching the news, the riots etc surely the Jurors already have pre-concieved ideas of guilt?

I disagree. This happens with all such cases. Lots of emotion and all and yet, as previously noted, all the cops have been found not guilty.
Which is why I said I have no clue. I don’t have all the evidence, or the view the prosecution and the defense have. I am in the same boat as the rest and like Saj said, it’s just my opinion that Chauvin is guilty.

 

[Saj]

Kneeling on George Floyd’s neck while he was handcuffed and in the prone position was “top-tier, deadly force” and “totally unnecessary”, the head of the Minneapolis Police Department’s homicide division testified on Friday.

“If your knee is on a person’s neck, that can kill him,” said Lieutenant Richard Zimmerman, adding that when a person is handcuffed in the prone position, “your muscles are pulling back … and if you’re laying on your chest, that’s constricting your breathing even more”.

Mr Zimmerman also testified at Derek Chauvin’s murder trial that once Mr Floyd was handcuffed, he saw “no reason for why the officers felt they were in danger, if that’s what they felt, and that’s what they would have to feel to be able to use that kind of force”.

“So in your opinion, should that restraint have stopped once he was handcuffed and thrown on the ground?” Prosecutor Matthew Frank asked.

“Absolutely,” Mr Zimmerman replied.

He also testified that officers have a duty to provide care for a person in distress, even if an ambulance has already been called.

Under cross examination, Chauvin lawyer Eric Nelson peppered Mr Zimmerman with questions about use of force, pointing out that officers must consider the entire situation when deciding about whether to use force — including what is happening with a suspect, whether the suspect is under the influence, and other surrounding hazards, such as a crowd.

Mr Zimmerman agreed with Mr Nelson that a person who is handcuffed can still pose a threat and can continue to thrash around.

His testimony came a day after a Minneapolis police supervisory sergeant who was on duty the night Mr Floyd died testified that he believes the officers restrained him for too long.

David Pleoger testified on Thursday that officers are trained to roll people on their side to help with their breathing after they have been restrained in the prone position. He said the officers could have ended their restraint of Mr Floyd after he stopped resisting.

Chauvin, 45, is charged with murder and manslaughter, accused of killing Mr Floyd by kneeling on the 46-year-old black man’s neck for nine minutes, 29 seconds as he lay face down in handcuffs last May in Minneapolis.

Mr Floyd had been accused of passing a counterfeit 20-dollar note at a neighbourhood market.

The most serious charge against the now-fired white officer carries up to 40 years in prison.

On Friday, Minneapolis Police Sergeant Jon Edwards, the overnight supervisor the night Mr Floyd died, said he secured the scene at the request of Mr Pleoger, who was still at the hospital with Mr Floyd.

Mr Edwards said Mr Pleoger told him the encounter had the potential to become a “critical incident”, which could mean someone died or was seriously injured.

The defence has argued that Chauvin did what he was trained to do when he encountered Mr Floyd last May and that Mr Floyd’s death was caused not by the knee on his neck, as prosecutors contend, but by drugs, his underlying health conditions and adrenaline.

An autopsy found fentanyl and methamphetamine in his system.

On Thursday, two paramedics who arrived on the scene that day said they saw no signs that Mr Floyd was breathing or moving.

One of them, Derek Smith, testified that he checked for a pulse and could not detect one: “In layman’s terms? I thought he was dead.”

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/worl...officer-tells-court/ar-BB1ffuMd?ocid=msedgntp

 

[KingKhanWC]

I disagree. This happens with all such cases. Lots of emotion and all and yet, as previously noted, all the cops have been found not guilty.
Which is why I said I have no clue. I don’t have all the evidence, or the view the prosecution and the defense have. I am in the same boat as the rest and like Saj said, it’s just my opinion that Chauvin is guilty.

I see the jury ratio is even between blacks and whites. Does it require a majority decision or a unanimous decision to convict?

 

[Stewie]

I see the jury ratio is even between blacks and whites. Does it require a majority decision or a unanimous decision to convict?

It depends on the charge I think. More serious the charge, it has to be unanimous I think. I could be wrong though. I’m sure you can look it up on the internet though.

 

[cricketjoshila]

What is the autopsy report? Does it say death due to axphysiation or strangulation?

 

[Stewie]

What is the autopsy report? Does it say death due to axphysiation or strangulation?

The autopsy report from the county ruled it a homicide.

 

[KingKhanWC]

It depends on the charge I think. More serious the charge, it has to be unanimous I think. I could be wrong though. I’m sure you can look it up on the internet though.

I have it states in a state criminal trial a unanimious decision has to be made for a guilty verdict.

This is how the jurors were chosen. There are many things I dont like about the US but their courtroom trails are usually very fair, one of the best judicary in the world imo.

Good read here how the jurors were selected.




https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56512690

 

[Stewie]

I have it states in a state criminal trial a unanimious decision has to be made for a guilty verdict.

This is how the jurors were chosen. There are many things I dont like about the US but their courtroom trails are usually very fair, one of the best judicary in the world imo.

Good read here how the jurors were selected.


View attachment 108329

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56512690

People have gotten away with murder with good lawyers but overall yes I’d say the system is fair.. there are always loopholes though

 

[cricketjoshila]

The autopsy report from the county ruled it a homicide.

Whats the cause of death? Homicide is the manner of death.

 

[Stewie]

Whats the cause of death? Homicide is the manner of death.

https://www.newsweek.com/george-floyd-autopsy-report-cause-death-1579393

 

[sweep_shot]

<iframe width="400" height="500" frameborder="0" src="https://www.bbc.com/news/av-embeds/56618682/vpid/p09cmc11"></iframe>

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-56618682.

 

[Saj]

<iframe width="400" height="500" frameborder="0" src="https://www.bbc.com/news/av-embeds/56618682/vpid/p09cmc11"></iframe>

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-56618682.

Should be game set and match for the prosecution, but remember there are 8 white jurors in the jury. So anything is possible.

 

[Technics 1210]

Rodney King. 15 mins of police brutality recorded on tape in the 90s. The evidence was damning yet officers were acquitted. King was on the run, had alcohol in his blood, and resisted arrested.

Officers have been aquiited for shooting unarmed black males dead, simply because they though the suspect was going to pull a gun.

In cases like these the prosecution must demonstrate that the police officers did not follow procedure.

It's never happened in US courts.

Though would say it's rare for the police department to testify agsint their own officers.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Ive watched the full bodycam footage from 3 cops present.


Floyd was high as a kite, very irratic and not co-operating with the police. He is a huge bloke and wasnt cooperating with the cops. If he sat in the squad car and followed instructions, he would have been fine today.

However Chavin used the incident to hurt him. The other cop asked him if Floyd should be put on his side, he refused. His pulse was checked but Chavin refused to take his knee off his neck. I believe Chavin knew what he was doing and murdered him. Disgusting and horrific. Shame he's not on a 1st degree murder charge, the cop should be given the death penalty.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Rodney King. 15 mins of police brutality recorded on tape in the 90s. The evidence was damning yet officers were acquitted. King was on the run, had alcohol in his blood, and resisted arrested.

Officers have been aquiited for shooting unarmed black males dead, simply because they though the suspect was going to pull a gun.

In cases like these the prosecution must demonstrate that the police officers did not follow procedure.

It's never happened in US courts.

Though would say it's rare for the police department to testify agsint their own officers.

Bro, watch the full bodycam footage, its clear he was murdered. Floyd was not a good man at all but we have to speak the truth.

 

[Technics 1210]

Bro, watch the full bodycam footage, its clear he was murdered. Floyd was not a good man at all but we have to speak the truth.

Yes it does; but Chauvin is not being charged with 1st degree murder. Prosecutors have to prove intent. Hence 2nd and 3rd degree murder charges.

Anyway, I'm not saying Chauvin is innocent, but this is Amreeka. Police officers have done worse things that this and have been aquiited .

The most interesting side is Chauvin's facial expression and body language.

Thank you not sure is Chauvin will be in witness box?

 

[Stewie]

Well see that’s the thing. For all its brilliance, US justice system is still a hell hole for some. If you have money, strong legal representation, you can get away with murder. Also if you have the system on your side, again... you can get away with murder. I see it all the time.

There are people in the US, rotting in jails for 12-15 years for selling $20 worth of weed, and then there are people like Aunt Becky from Full House who was involved in a college admission scam worth half a billion dollars and spent what... weeks in jail? I could quite example after example after example. All these black people being killed by cops... dating back to the Rodney King no dent and even before... they are also part of the whole system, and then they claim there is no systemic racism in the US.
They don’t get justice, just like this guy I know who spent years in Gitmo for just being suspected... no trial, no charges.. spent 8 years there.

The US justice system is great if you are either wealthy, belong to a certain class or have the system on your side for whatever reason (race, profession, etc) but if you don’t fit any niche and happen to be a bloke with a flawed past, you are screwed utterly and completely.

I know Floyd had a past, I know he was no angel but the way he was put out, that was murder. And it’s a great injustice if Chauvin simply gets to walk away from all this.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Yes it does; but Chauvin is not being charged with 1st degree murder. Prosecutors have to prove intent. Hence 2nd and 3rd degree murder charges.

Anyway, I'm not saying Chauvin is innocent, but this is Amreeka. Police officers have done worse things that this and have been aquiited .

The most interesting side is Chauvin's facial expression and body language.

Thank you not sure is Chauvin will be in witness box?

I agree 2nd and 3rd degree conviction is not guaranteed.

If he doesnt go in the witness box, he is making his case worse. I think he will now esp since fellow officers have testified against him.

I dont care for both of them, I just dont want more violence on the streets of the UK by BLM extremists or in the US for that matter.

 

[Stewie]

I agree 2nd and 3rd degree conviction is not guaranteed.

If he doesnt go in the witness box, he is making his case worse. I think he will now esp since fellow officers have testified against him.

I dont care for both of them, I just dont want more violence on the streets of the UK by BLM extremists or in the US for that matter.

How big is BLM in the UK and how are they linked to the US BLM? I feel there is no point in the UK BLM since institutional racism is more of an American thing not British. Maybe they are opportunists in the UK using BLM to achieve their own goals. I just don’t see how BLM can go world wide when people don’t even fully grasp the concept of racism in the US. It’s pretty mind boggling if you ask me.
Also have the UK BLM been involved in violence and destruction, etc to date?

 

[Technics 1210]

I agree 2nd and 3rd degree conviction is not guaranteed.

If he doesnt go in the witness box, he is making his case worse. I think he will now esp since fellow officers have testified against him.

I dont care for both of them, I just dont want more violence on the streets of the UK by BLM extremists or in the US for that matter.

I hope he is in the witness box.

His testimony will add balance and perspective to the case.

Media and lefty loons have found Chauvin guilt of racsim BEFORE the trial. Let's hope justice prevails.

 

[KingKhanWC]

How big is BLM in the UK and how are they linked to the US BLM? I feel there is no point in the UK BLM since institutional racism is more of an American thing not British. Maybe they are opportunists in the UK using BLM to achieve their own goals. I just don’t see how BLM can go world wide when people don’t even fully grasp the concept of racism in the US. It’s pretty mind boggling if you ask me.
Also have the UK BLM been involved in violence and destruction, etc to date?

A few years ago a black man Mark Duggan was shot dead in North London, he was a criminal. The shoot was prob not required but it sent off a wave of riots all over the country, the worst the UK has seen since. Most of these rioters, looters were simple opportunits. Some were given years behind bars for stealing a tv or a bottle of milk. When Floyd died, it seemed as it started all over again. It wasnt peaceful protests but very violent disorder, even Churchill's statue had to be protected. The language and threats by the UK BLM were dangerous. I have no idea how the two are linked, I think people just started to wave BLM placards.

UK is nothing like the US, blacks arent killed regularly by police. At most they are subject to harrasment.