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

[Stewie]

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.

Sounds like opportunistic thugs to me.

And yes you are right about the situation of blacks in the UK vs US which is why I was amazed to hear/read about this.
BLM is justified in the US but I don’t know why they are raising that slogan elsewhere. I mean for God’s sake, cops don’t even kill people in the UK and this is a norm here. I don’t see any sense behind it.

 

[sweep_shot]

George Floyd: Minneapolis police chief says Chauvin violated policy

The police chief of Minneapolis has testified that ex-officer Derek Chauvin violated the agency's policy on force during the arrest of George Floyd.

Chief Medaria Arradondo said the way Mr Chauvin restrained Mr Floyd was not in line with training and "certainly not part of our ethics and our values".

The chief had fired Mr Chauvin and the three other officers involved days after Mr Floyd's death last May.

Mr Chauvin is on trial for murder and has denied the charges against him.

Footage of Mr Chauvin, who is white, kneeling on African-American Mr Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes last year sparked global protests against racism.

Monday marks the sixth day in Mr Chauvin's trial, which is expected to last for at least one month.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56642582.

 

[The_KING]

I couldn’t care less that a criminal got killed by a cop but I hope that Chauvin is convicted, otherwise the BLM thugs will be out on the streets destroying cars, shops, statues etc. I don’t want that.

 

[Saj]

Minneapolis police officers are advised to "stay away from the neck when possible" when restraining combative suspects, the murder trial of the ex-cop accused of murdering George Floyd has heard.

Testimony from Derek Chauvin's former colleagues at the city's police department continued on Tuesday, after the force's chief yesterday said his actions against Mr Floyd were in "no way" part of his training.

Chauvin is on trial on charges of second and third-degree murder, as well as manslaughter, following the death of the unarmed 46-year-old last May.

Chauvin, 45, was the officer seen kneeling on the neck of Mr Floyd for nine minutes and 29 seconds outside a shop where he had allegedly tried to use a fake $20 note to pay for a pack of cigarettes.

Footage of the incident went viral, sparking global protests and super-charging the Black Lives Matter movement.

In the hearing on Tuesday, the court heard from Lieutenant Johnny Mercil, a use-of-force instructor.

Prosecutor Steve Schleicher showed Lt Mercil a photo of Chauvin kneeling on Mr Floyd’s neck, and asked if the officer was using an authorised neck restraint, given the circumstances.

Lt Mercil responded: "I would say no."

After police were called to the shop on 25 May 2020, the officers arrested Mr Floyd, who had taken drugs and became upset when they tried to put him in a police car.

It was at this point that the still-handcuffed man was taken out of the vehicle and knelt on. As he laid on the floor, he could be heard calling for his mother and saying: "I can't breathe."

Passers-by filmed the incident and - once the footage had gone viral and the protests began - Chauvin was fired from the police department afterwards.

Under cross-examination by Chauvin’s lawyer, Lt Mercil was shown screenshots from several points in the video.

Eric Nelson asked if the images showed Chauvin’s knee on Mr Floyd’s neck, back or shoulder - with Lt Mercil often agreeing with the lawyer.

While he testified that officers are trained to use their knee across a person's back or shoulder and employ their body weight to maintain control, he added: "We tell officers to stay away from the neck when possible."

Also giving evidence on Tuesday was Sergeant Ker Yang, the officer in charge of crisis-intervention training.

Sgt Yang said that officers were taught to "slow things down and re-evaluate and reassess".

According to police records, Chauvin took part in use-of-force training in 2018. He completed a 40-hour course on recognising people in a crisis in 2016.

Mr Nelson has argued that Chauvin "did exactly what he had been trained to do over his 19-year career", seeking to blame Mr Floyd’s death on his use of drugs and underlying health conditions.

The trial started last week, and is due to last for around three more.

https://news.sky.com/story/officers...r-colleague-tells-george-floyd-trial-12267937

 

[sweep_shot]

George Floyd: Expert witness criticises use of force during arrest

An expert witness has testified that "excessive" force was used by ex-officer Derek Chauvin during the arrest of unarmed black man George Floyd.

Sgt Jody Stiger, a use of force expert for the Los Angeles Police Department, said that "deadly force" was used after Mr Floyd was placed in handcuffs.

Mr Chauvin, 45, was filmed kneeling on Mr Floyd for over nine minutes during Mr Floyd's arrest last May.

He is on trial for murder and has denied the charges against him.

The footage of Mr Chauvin, who is white, with his knee on Mr Floyd's neck sparked global protests against racism.

The trial is in its second week and is expected to last for at least one month. The defence is due to begin arguing its case next week.

Prosecutors continued to argue that Mr Chauvin had used undue force, while the defence team sought to draw attention to Mr Floyd's alleged drug use, claiming he could be heard saying "I ate a lot of drugs" in bodycam video.

As police officers are rarely convicted or charged at all for deaths that occur in custody, the verdict in this trial is being seen as an indication of how the US legal system will treat such cases in future.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56669914.

 

[PakLFC]

Derek Chauvin will walk free. I can not imagine the judge punishing a white racist. We will be told Chauvin did not understand the law or was leaning on George to defend himself from a psycho. This will greatly worse race relations in America.

 

[Stewie]

Derek Chauvin will walk free. I can not imagine the judge punishing a white racist. We will be told Chauvin did not understand the law or was leaning on George to defend himself from a psycho. This will greatly worse race relations in America.

That’s my worst fear

 

[PakLFC]

If Chauvin is set free the minority especially the black community are gonna go nuts taking to the streets in big numbers. If he is punished the far right racists will be burning the country all over demanding his release. Either way America is cooked big time.

 

[Firebat]

Expert says George Floyd died from lack of oxygen

George Floyd died from a lack of oxygen as he was pinned "in a vice" against the street during his arrest, a doctor at the trial of ex-police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis has said.

Intensive care doctor Martin Tobin said Mr Floyd had died of asphyxia from the way he was restrained.

Mr Chauvin, 45, was filmed kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes during his arrest last May.

The ex-officer is on trial for murder and has denied the charges against him.

The footage of Mr Chauvin, who is white, with his knee on African-American Mr Floyd's neck sparked global protests against racism.

The trial is in its second week and is expected to last for at least one month. The defence is due to begin arguing its case next week.

Read more:

Spoiler

The prosecution in the case of Mr Chauvin has now begun hearing from medical experts.

Asked about the positioning of the handcuffs behind Mr Floyd's back, coupled with the downward pressure of Mr Chauvin's weight against him, Dr Tobin - an expert in pulmonary medicine - said that Mr Floyd's ability to expand his chest was severely impaired.

He said it was his medical opinion that Mr Floyd died after a low level of oxygen stopped his heart.

"[George Floyd] is jammed down against the street, so the street is playing a major role in preventing him from expanding his chest.

"He's against a hard asphalt street, so the way they're pushing down on his handcuffs combined with the street... it's like the left side is in a vice."

Dr Tobin said the positioning of the handcuffs was also significant.

"It's how they're being pushed, where they are being pushed, that totally interfere with central features of how we breathe."

Dr Tobin said that the position of Mr Chauvin's knee, pushing down against the left side of Mr Floyd's chest, meant that it was "almost... as if a surgeon had gone in and removed the

lung". "Not quite, but along those lines."

"He has used up his resources and is literally trying to breathe with his fingers and knuckles against the street to try to crank up his chest, to try to get air into his right lung," he added.

Dr Tobin used footage captured during Mr Floyd's arrest to provide his medical opinion on the ninth day of Mr Chauvin's trial in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The main medical examiner, who conducted the county-commissioned autopsy, is not expected to give evidence at the trial until Friday.

On Wednesday, the police chief of Minneapolis testified that Mr Chauvin had violated the agency's policy on force during Mr Floyd's arrest.

Medaria Arradondo said the way Mr Chauvin had restrained Mr Floyd was not in line with training and "certainly not part of our ethics and our values".

Defence attorney Eric Nelson said that an officer's actions must be viewed from the point of view of an officer at the scene, not in hindsight.

The defence has argued that Mr Floyd's efforts to resist arrest necessitated the restraint.

It has also contended that alleged drug use and an underlying heart condition contributed to Mr Floyd's death.​

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56670912​

 

[Saj]

More damning evidence today for the defendant.

It looks like his team face an uphill battle to get a not guilty verdict.

 

[sweep_shot]

George Floyd died from lack of oxygen, not fentanyl, says expert

George Floyd died from a lack of oxygen during his arrest, a doctor at the trial of ex-police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis has said.

Contradicting the defence, Dr Martin Tobin said fentanyl did not cause Mr Floyd's death. He said even a "healthy person...would have died".

Mr Chauvin, 45, was filmed kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes during his arrest last May.

The ex-officer is on trial for murder and has denied the charges against him.

The footage of Mr Chauvin, who is white, with his knee on African-American Mr Floyd's neck sparked global protests against racism.

The trial is in its second week and is expected to last for at least one month. The defence is due to begin arguing its case in court next week.

The prosecution in the case of Mr Chauvin has now begun hearing from medical experts.

What did the experts say about fentanyl?

A toxicology report released last June said that Mr Floyd had the painkiller fentanyl and the drug methamphetamine in his system.

Since then, the defence has argued that the fentanyl caused Mr Floyd's loss of oxygen.

However Dr Tobin, an intensive care doctor, said that Mr Floyd's breathing did not slow down enough for the painkiller to have been a factor in his total loss of oxygen.

Later in the hearing, the defence questioned Kentucky police surgeon Dr Bill Smock, who works for the Louisville police and is an expert in forensic emergency medicine.

Dr Smock said Mr Floyd displayed "air hunger", a term for when the body becomes desperate for oxygen. While a fentanyl overdose can slow down breathing, he said people who are overdosing are not aware that they are lacking oxygen and often appear sleepy. In contrast, he said Mr Floyd appeared to be alert.

On cross-examination, he concurred with the defence that there was "no safe" amount of methamphetamine to be in someone's system, and that an overdose of methamphetamine and fentanyl combined may look different from fentanyl alone.

Dr Smock also told the court that while viewing the footage, he heard Mr Floyd complain about being unable to breathe before he was restrained on the ground.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56670912.

 

[sweep_shot]

Derek Chauvin trial: Police restraint killed George Floyd, expert says

George Floyd died because of how police restrained him, a medical expert at the trial of ex-police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis has said.

Forensic pathologist Dr Lindsey Thomas said "the activities of the law enforcement officers resulted in Mr Floyd's death" from lack of oxygen.

Mr Chauvin, 45, was filmed kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes during his arrest last May.

The ex-officer is on trial for murder and has denied the charges against him.

The footage of Mr Chauvin, who is white, with his knee on African-American Mr Floyd's neck sparked global protests against racism.

Prosecutors are trying to prove Mr Chauvin's use of force resulted in Mr Floyd's death, while Mr Chauvin's defence are seeking to show he was following his training and that drugs and heart disease may have caused Mr Floyd's death.

On Friday, the prosecution also called medical examiner Dr Andrew Michael Baker, who performed the post-mortem examination of Mr Floyd.

He said Mr Floyd's death was due to his interaction with law enforcement, but said his drug use and underlying heart disease also played a role.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56682357.

 

[MenInG]

George Floyd's younger sibling has testified "I miss my brother" as prosecutors prepare to rest their case against the ex-officer accused of murdering him.

After the state of Minnesota spent more than two weeks making the case against Derek Chauvin, his defence team will begin to present its case on Tuesday.

Mr Chauvin is on trial after he knelt on Mr Floyd's neck during his arrest last May.

He has denied the charges.

Tensions are high in Minnesota after the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old black man by a white police officer in a suburb only 10 miles (16 km) away from the courtroom where Mr Chauvin's trial is taking place.

Mr Chauvin's trial has been closely watched. Footage of Mr Chauvin, a white man, kneeling on the neck of Mr Floyd, a black man, sparked global protests against racism and policing in the US.

Philonise Floyd took to the stand as a "spark of life" witness, a circumstance by which the prosecution in a Minnesota trial can humanise the victim for the jury.

Mr Floyd, 39, remembered his brother as "a big mama's boy" and "a leader to us in the household" as the court was shown old photos from their childhood.

He mused about their competitiveness as siblings: "Me and George played video games all the time. I finally beat him in a game and I was just so happy thinking about that."

Through tears, the younger Floyd recounted how his brother had cried at their mother's funeral and "didn't want to leave the casket" because "he loved her so dearly".

"I miss both of them," he said.

Two expert witnesses testified on behalf of the prosecution about their independent reviews of the Floyd arrest.

Dr Jonathan Rich, a Chicago-based cardiologist, told the court that, in his professional opinion, George Floyd did not die of a heart attack or drug overdose.

He noted his review of Mr Floyd's medical records since 2018 indicated problems with hypertension, high blood pressure and struggles with drug addiction, but turned up no evidence of a previous or oncoming heart attack. He added the deceased had "an exceptionally strong heart".

He said the footage made it clear that Mr Floyd died "gradually and slowly" because he was restrained "in a life-threatening manner" and then lay on the ground "pulseless without any CPR" for too long.

Use of force expert Seth Stoughton, a law school professor with prior law enforcement training, said the force used by Mr Chauvin and the other officers apprehending Mr Floyd was "unreasonable, excessive and contrary to generally accepted police practice".

"The sanctity of human life is the highest priority in policing," said Mr Stoughton.

He added that "the duty to assist and render aid" whenever possible was the second priority, observing that officers failed to do so.

The defence suggested an op-ed written by Mr Stoughton a few days after the incident suggested he had already made up his mind long before he testified on Monday.

The witness retorted: "I think it's fair to say that I formed the opinion that putting your knee across someone's neck - except in unbelievably rare circumstances - is generally an inappropriate use of force."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56727154

 

[Firebat]

Derek Chauvin's defense begins its case by highlighting George Floyd's prior arrest

(CNN) - Derek Chauvin's defense team highlighted George Floyd's arrest and drug use in May 2019 in court on Tuesday after the prosecution rested its case against the former Minneapolis Police officer.

Limited evidence of the incident, including the police body-camera footage of the arrest, was allowed into the trial only to show the physical effect of opioid drugs on Floyd, Judge Peter Cahill ruled.

"This evidence is being admitted solely for the limited purpose of showing what effects the ingestion of opioids may or may not have had on the physical well-being of George Floyd," Cahill told the jury. "This evidence is not to be used as evidence of the character of George Floyd."

The defense's first witness was retired Minneapolis Police officer Scott Creighton, who testified that he approached Floyd on the passenger side of a red Ford Explorer on May 6, 2019. He ordered Floyd to show his hands and put them on the dash, and he said Floyd was unresponsive and non-compliant to his demands.

In the body-camera footage, Creighton offers increasingly loud commands with curses at Floyd, who appears distressed and tells the officer he doesn't want to get shot. Creighton pulled his service weapon in the encounter.

"He keeps moving his hands around. He won't listen to what I have to say," Creighton says in the footage.

The officers on scene ultimately handcuff Floyd, and he walks with them away from the vehicle.

The second witness, retired paramedic Michelle Moseng, testified that she treated Floyd medically after the arrest. He told her he was addicted to opioids and had been taking multiple Percocet pills every 20 minutes that day, including as an officer walked up to the car.

She took his blood pressure and it was so high that she recommended he go to the hospital, she testified.

Floyd was taken to the hospital and not jail. A CNN search through Hennepin County District Court records ​shows that he was not charged in relation ​to the 2019 arrest.

The defense's case began Tuesday after Minnesota prosecutors called 38 witnesses over 11 days. They sought to show that Chauvin used excessive and unreasonable force when he kneeled on the neck and back of George Floyd, who was handcuffed and lying prone in the street, for nine minutes and 29 seconds last May.

One of the final witnesses to take the stand on Monday was Floyd's brother Philonise, who cried as he discussed what his older brother meant to their family in starkly personal terms.

"He was so much of a leader to us in the household, he would always make sure we had our clothes for school, make sure we would get to school on time," Philonise Floyd said. "He just was like a person that everybody loved around the community. He just knew how to make people feel better."

Altogether, the prosecution's case against Chauvin came in three distinct phases. First, bystanders and extensive video of their interaction explained Chauvin's actions toward Floyd last May. Afterward, police experts said Chauvin violated police use-of-force policies and medical experts then said that Chauvin caused Floyd's death.

Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/13/us/derek-chauvin-trial-george-floyd-day-12/index.html

 

[Saj]

There's a guy currently giving evidence that Chauvin did what he was trained to do and was well within his rights to be on Floyd's neck for over 9 minutes.

Incredible.

 

[Saj]

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's defence is now calling witnesses
An expert witness called by the defence says a police officer accused of murder was following training.
Footage from a 2019 traffic stop of Floyd, a year before his death, is shown to the court
The police officer who pulled him over testifies that he was "unresponsive and non-compliant"
Chauvin was filmed kneeling on George Floyd for over nine minutes during his arrest last May
Chauvin's lawyer will argue that it was drugs and poor health that caused Floyd's death
The verdict in this case is being seen as a key moment in US race relations and policing
As the trial continues, a nearby suburb has seen a second night of protests over a police killing of a black man
Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon and Officer Kim Potter have since resigned their posts

 

[Colorblind Genius]

BLM Co Founder profits off the death of Floyd...Buys 4 houses valued at $3 million


Well.... Floyd's death sure is "profitable" for some unscrupulous folks...

Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors has gone on a real-estate buying binge, snagging four high-end homes for $3.2 million in the US alone, according to property records.

Incidentally, the family profited off Floyd's death by getting $14 Million (GoFundMe) and $27 million (Settlement) Now the co founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors has her hand in the Cookie Jar too...

As protests broke out across the country in the name of Black Lives Matter, the group’s co-founder went on a real estate-buying binge, snagging four high-end homes for $3.2 million in the US alone, according to property records.

Patrisse Khan-Cullors, 37, also eyed property in the Bahamas at an ultra-exclusive resort where Justin Timberlake and Tiger Woods both have homes. Luxury apartments and townhouses at the beachfront Albany resort outside Nassau are priced between $5 million and $20 million, according to a local agent.


https://nypost.com/2021/04/10/insid...cc=morning_report&mpweb=755-9344811-720721109

 

[KingKhanWC]

BLM Co Founder profits off the death of Floyd...Buys 4 houses valued at $3 million


Well.... Floyd's death sure is "profitable" for some unscrupulous folks...

Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors has gone on a real-estate buying binge, snagging four high-end homes for $3.2 million in the US alone, according to property records.

Incidentally, the family profited off Floyd's death by getting $14 Million (GoFundMe) and $27 million (Settlement) Now the co founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors has her hand in the Cookie Jar too...

As protests broke out across the country in the name of Black Lives Matter, the group’s co-founder went on a real estate-buying binge, snagging four high-end homes for $3.2 million in the US alone, according to property records.

Patrisse Khan-Cullors, 37, also eyed property in the Bahamas at an ultra-exclusive resort where Justin Timberlake and Tiger Woods both have homes. Luxury apartments and townhouses at the beachfront Albany resort outside Nassau are priced between $5 million and $20 million, according to a local agent.


https://nypost.com/2021/04/10/insid...cc=morning_report&mpweb=755-9344811-720721109

No African Americans upset over this? Very strange.

 

[Technics 1210]

No African Americans upset over this? Very strange.

I find it strange too.

What do PP BLM supporters think of this news?

 

[MenInG]

A use-of-force expert has told a US jury that the former police officer accused of the murder of George Floyd was "justified" in pinning him to the ground.

Barry Brodd told the trial in Minnesota that Derek Chauvin acted with "objective reasonableness".

Mr Chauvin is on trial after he knelt on Mr Floyd's neck during his arrest last May.

He has denied the charges.

Video of Mr Chauvin, who is white, kneeling on the neck of Mr Floyd, a black man, led to worldwide protests against racism and policing in the US.

Tensions in Minnesota are also running high after the fatal shooting on Sunday of a another black man by a white police officer in a suburb only 10 miles (16 km) away from the court where Mr Chauvin's trial is taking place.

On Tuesday, the court heard testimony from witnesses called by Mr Chauvin's defence team.

What did the expert say?
Former police officer Mr Brodd told the court that "the imminent threat" posed by Floyd was a major factor in his detention.

"I felt that Derek Chauvin was justified and acting with objective reasonableness following Minneapolis police department policy and current standards of law enforcement in his interaction with George Floyd," he said.

"From a police officer's standpoint, you don't have to wait for it to happen. You just have to have a reasonable fear that somebody is going to strike you, stab you, shoot you."

Mr Brodd added: "It's easy to sit in an office and judge an officer's conduct. It's more of a challenge to put yourself in the officer's shoes, to try to make an evaluation through what they are feeling, what they're sensing, the fear they have, and then make a determination."

Defence lawyer Eric Nelson asked Mr Brodd: "Was this a deadly use of force?"

"No, it was not," Mr Brodd replied.

He said that the crowd surrounding George Floyd during his arrest "posed an unknown threat" and drew Mr Chauvin's attention away from Floyd.

Cross-examining Mr Brodd, the prosecution maintained that the dangers of positional asphyxia - not being able to breathe in a certain position - were well known.

"Would you agree that that's something commonly understood in law enforcement?" prosecutor Steve Schleicher asked.

"Yes," Mr Brodd replied, confirming it was not new information.

What else happened?

The trial also heard from Peter Chang, a Minneapolis Park Police officer who responded to the scene of Floyd's arrest. The court was shown footage from his bodycam.

Mr Chang told the court the crowd of bystanders around Floyd was "very aggressive to the officers".

"Did that cause you any concern?" Mr Nelson asked him.

"Concern for the officers' safety, yes," Mr Chang replied.

Shawanda Hill, an acquaintance of George Floyd, was compelled by the defence to testify on Tuesday.

She was sitting in the back seat of the car when Floyd was approached by store employees who confronted him over an alleged counterfeit $20 bill.

She said Floyd had earlier been "happy, normal, talking, alert".

She said that he had offered to give her a ride, and that she received a phone call while sitting in the car with Floyd.

While she was on the phone, she said Floyd suddenly fell asleep just before the employees came out to confront him.

She said she woke him again as the police arrived.

She said that as soon as Floyd woke up, the first thing he saw was an officer's gun. Ms Hill said that he immediately grew distressed and started pleading with the officers not to kill him.

"Did he seem startled when the officer pulled a gun on him?" the prosecutor asks.

"Very," she said.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56741100

 

[MenInG]

George Floyd's death should have been classified as "undetermined", an expert has told the murder trial of former US police officer Derek Chauvin.

Forensic pathologist David Fowler told the court in Minnesota that the cause of Mr Floyd's death was not clear.

Mr Fowler said in his view, drug use, heart disease and other factors contributed to Mr Floyd's death.

Mr Fowler was a key witness for the defence of Mr Chauvin, who has denied charges of murder and manslaughter.

His defence team is trying to contradict earlier expert testimony that Mr Floyd died from lack of oxygen during his arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota last May.

Prosecutors argue that Mr Floyd died of asphyxia after Mr Chauvin, 45, was filmed kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes.

The footage of Mr Chauvin, who is white, restraining Mr Floyd, a black man, on the floor as he shouted "I can't breathe" spurred global protests against racism.

This week the anger that exploded in the wake of Mr Floyd's death was reignited by the fatal shooting of a black man, Daunte Wright.

The shooting happened on Sunday in a Minnesota suburb only 10 miles (16 km) away from the court where Mr Chauvin's trial is taking place, setting off days of protests.

On Wednesday, a prosecutor charged Kim Potter, a white police officer who shot dead Mr Wright during a traffic stop, with second-degree manslaughter.

What did the defence's expert say?

Dr Fowler, who was chief medical examiner for the state of Maryland until his retirement in 2019, was called to testify by Mr Chauvin's defence on the 13th day of the trial.

He was questioned about the findings of the Hennepin County medical examiner, who ruled Mr Floyd's death a homicide.

"I would fall back to undetermined, in this particular case," Dr Fowler testified.

He said, in his opinion, the cause of death was not clear because there were "so many conflicting different potential mechanisms". These complicating factors, he said, could be considered homicide in some cases, and accidental in others.

Mr Floyd's consumption of fentanyl and methamphetamine, and his possible exposure to carbon monoxide poisoning from the police car's exhaust, were among the complicating factors cited by Dr Fowler.

Asked about the cause of death, Dr Fowler said he believed Mr Floyd suffered "a sudden cardiac arrest" while struggling with the officers.

Dr Fowler said Mr Floyd's health problems contributed to an erratic beating of his heart, known as sudden cardiac arrhythmia.

In response, prosecutor Jerry Blackwell launched an aggressive cross-examination of Dr Fowler, questioning his conclusions and credibility as a witness.

Under questioning, Dr Fowler admitted that someone who dies from being deprived of oxygen ultimately dies of an arrhythmia.

"Every one of us in this room will have a fatal arrhythmia at some point," Dr Fowler testified.

Dr Fowler also agreed that Mr Floyd should have been given immediate medical attention when he went into cardiac arrest, as there still was a chance to save his life.

Mr Chauvin has been charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

He faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charge - second-degree murder.

A conviction on any of the counts against Mr Chauvin will require the nine-woman, five-man jury to return a unanimous verdict.

What else happened in court?

Earlier on Wednesday, the judge presiding over the trial denied a defence motion to acquit Mr Chauvin of all charges.

Defence attorney Eric Nelson said prosecutors had failed to prove their case against Mr Chauvin beyond reasonable doubt.

The motion is a standard request in criminal trials at the end of the presentation of the prosecution case and it was rejected by Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill.

Judge Cahill also said he would allow a potential defence witness to invoke his right - under the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution - not to testify.

Morries Hall was with Mr Floyd on the day of his arrest and his lawyer told the judge that his client could "not answer any questions without incriminating himself".

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56753298

 

[Robert]

I find it strange too.

What do PP BLM supporters think of this news?

I think they should call in the auditors and find out where the GoFundMe contributions went. This isn’t one organisation at all, but an aggregated social movement. How do charities work in the USA, is there a regulator?

 

[Gilly]

I think they should call in the auditors and find out where the GoFundMe contributions went. This isn’t one organisation at all, but an aggregated social movement. How do charities work in the USA, is there a regulator?

No need for a audit, its all legit.

The foundation will be working on a commission for donations and costs. Usually 20% will be commission and then costs like accommodation, phones, cars, offices, wages, restaurants, PR and other costs will be deducted and the rest will be used for the purpose of promoting BLM.

In most situations less than 25% of monies raised will actually go to those the organization are supposedly raising the money for. You will find that the founder has a good contract with BLM and she is entitled to millions of dollars. Its a scam but a scam that is legal.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

BLM Co Founder profits off the death of Floyd...Buys 4 houses valued at $3 million


Well.... Floyd's death sure is "profitable" for some unscrupulous folks...

Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors has gone on a real-estate buying binge, snagging four high-end homes for $3.2 million in the US alone, according to property records.

Incidentally, the family profited off Floyd's death by getting $14 Million (GoFundMe) and $27 million (Settlement) Now the co founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors has her hand in the Cookie Jar too...

As protests broke out across the country in the name of Black Lives Matter, the group’s co-founder went on a real estate-buying binge, snagging four high-end homes for $3.2 million in the US alone, according to property records.

Patrisse Khan-Cullors, 37, also eyed property in the Bahamas at an ultra-exclusive resort where Justin Timberlake and Tiger Woods both have homes. Luxury apartments and townhouses at the beachfront Albany resort outside Nassau are priced between $5 million and $20 million, according to a local agent.


https://nypost.com/2021/04/10/insid...cc=morning_report&mpweb=755-9344811-720721109

From the article you posted

“Patrisse Cullors is the Executive Director of Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF). She serves in this role in a volunteer capacity and does not receive a salary or benefits. Patrisse has received a total of $120,000 since the organization’s inception in 2013, for duties such as serving as spokesperson and engaging in political education work. Patrisse did not receive any compensation after 2019.

She has written books and has a deal with Warner Brothers. So there is no proof she stole from donations. And its not a crime for a Black women to be rich.

With that said there should be an investigation to ensure that no donations were misused by her.

 

[Robert]

No need for a audit, its all legit.

The foundation will be working on a commission for donations and costs. Usually 20% will be commission and then costs like accommodation, phones, cars, offices, wages, restaurants, PR and other costs will be deducted and the rest will be used for the purpose of promoting BLM.

In most situations less than 25% of monies raised will actually go to those the organization are supposedly raising the money for. You will find that the founder has a good contract with BLM and she is entitled to millions of dollars. Its a scam but a scam that is legal.

Disappointing. In the UK, the charity regulator and HMRC would be jumping on this.

Unless it’s all legit from book deals of course.

 

[Technics 1210]

From the article you posted



She has written books and has a deal with Warner Brothers. So there is no proof she stole from donations. And its not a crime for a Black women to be rich.

With that said there should be an investigation to ensure that no donations were misused by her.

Who said it was a crime for a black woman to be rich? And no where did anyone suggest the founder of BLM embezzled funds. Simmer down.

The point was of hypocrisy from the founder of BLM by moving into a white privledged area.

You know this is the point but are deliberately avoiding to address it, and other BLM PPers too.

 

[Saj]

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on Thursday invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, choosing not to testify in his murder trial centered on the May 2020 death of George Floyd.

Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, announced the defense was resting its case at the start of Thursday’s proceedings and asked his client whether he had decided to testify.

“I will invoke my Fifth Amendment privilege today,” Chauvin told the court. He confirmed to Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill, who is presiding over the high-profile trial, that he made the decision alone.

Chauvin has been charged with second- and third-degree murder as well as second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death.

Thursday marked the 14th day of testimony in the trial. The prosecution, the state of Minnesota, called nearly 40 witnesses, including eyewitnesses and medical experts, over 12 days of testimony. The defense took just Tuesday and Wednesday to call all six of its witnesses.

On Wednesday, Dr. David Fowler, the former chief medical examiner for the state of Maryland and an expert witness retained by the defense, testified that he believed Floyd’s cause of death was “sudden cardiac arrhythmia” caused by underlying heart disease during his restraint by police.

Fowler’s assessment conflicted with the Hennepin County Medical Examiner Office’s autopsy, which determined Floyd died due to “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression.”

Fowler listed several contributing factors that he believed played a role in Floyd’s death, including fentanyl and methamphetamine. Another factor, Fowler suggested, was a potential carbon monoxide poisoning brought on by Floyd’s proximity to a squad car’s tailpipe as he was being restrained.

Prior to the jury taking their seats on Thursday, the prosecution revealed that Dr. Andrew Baker, the Hennepin County medical examiner who performed Floyd’s official autopsy, reached out to them after Fowler’s testimony.

Baker said his office had lab results that showed Floyd’s carbon monoxide levels were within the normal range the night he died, undermining Fowler’s theory, according to the prosecution.

But Cahill ruled that the prosecution had been given sufficient time to prepare for Fowler’s testimony, and therefore he would not allow the lab results stating Floyd’s carbon monoxide levels to be admitted as evidence.

The prosecution was able to sidestep this hurdle by calling back to the stand Dr. Martin Tobin, a pulmonary expert. Cahill had warned that he would declare a mistrial if Tobin even hinted at the existence of the carbon monoxide lab results in front of the jury. But Tobin didn’t need to reference those particular lab results to make his point.

Instead, Tobin explained to the jury that Floyd’s blood oxygen level was 98% ― a fact already submitted as evidence ― and, therefore, there’s no way Floyd’s carbon monoxide could have been more than 2%, or beyond the normal range.

After Nelson briefly cross-examined Tobin, Cahill told the jury that the evidentiary portion of the trial had concluded. Following closing arguments on Monday, the jury will sequester for deliberation, he said.

“If I were you, I would plan for long and hope for short,” Cahill told the jurors.

Minneapolis is on edge as the city awaits the verdict in Chauvin’s trial. The police killing of 20-year-old Daunte Wright, a Black man, on Sunday in a Minneapolis suburb magnified tensions and reignited protests across the region.

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/en...endment_n_60784d88e4b020e576c202bb?ri18n=true

 

[Saj]

No surprise that he has invoked his Fifth Amendment right.

I think if he had gone on the stand he would have been ripped apart by the prosecutors.

 

[Robert]

No surprise that he has invoked his Fifth Amendment right.

I think if he had gone on the stand he would have been ripped apart by the prosecutors.

Not trying to defend himself is his only effective defence, I think.

 

[Technics 1210]

All lawyers advise this to the defendant; the 5th.

Standard practice.

It was created to protect USA politicans if they ever faced trial.

 

[Saj]

Not trying to defend himself is his only effective defence, I think.

True.

By not saying anything, he thinks that he is limiting the damage that would be caused if he gave evidence.

Time will tell if this was the right tactic.

But either way, his lawyer is going to have to come up with something special in the closing arguments to sway the jury.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Who said it was a crime for a black woman to be rich? And no where did anyone suggest the founder of BLM embezzled funds. Simmer down.

The point was of hypocrisy from the founder of BLM by moving into a white privledged area.

You know this is the point but are deliberately avoiding to address it, and other BLM PPers too.

The point of BLM was to raise awareness of systemic inequality against Black people, especially as it relates it to police brutality.

In Minnesota Officer Noor, a Black Muslim was found guilty of third degree murdering for shooting a white women. He got scared when she approached the police car in the dark, and he fired one bullet which killed her, and he got 12.5 years in jail. Deservedly so. However

He became the first on-duty Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder when the charge was applied to him for "perpetuating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind."

https://www.startribune.com/divided...-murder-conviction-of-mohamed-noor/600017647/

The first officer convicted in Minnesota happened to be Black and Muslim. You think that's a coincidence? There were no support for him from the GOP. No blue lives matter rallies in his defense. White officers need to be held accountable when they execute Blacks.

In Minnesota Philando Castile killer did not get one day.

Across the US there are hundreds of white police officers who have executed black men who did not get one day in jail.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Having watched the defence, they have surely rasied doubt over 2 or even all 3 of the charges.

UK is different to US, here if you dont testify(while charged) its a huge negative. In the US the jury cannot even suggest or think its any reason due to guilt. So no issue for the defendent.

Remember all jurors have to agree for a conviction.

This is going to turn the US into a hell if he's even aquitted on two charges and found guilty on one.

 

[KingKhanWC]

True.

By not saying anything, he thinks that he is limiting the damage that would be caused if he gave evidence.

Time will tell if this was the right tactic.

But either way, his lawyer is going to have to come up with something special in the closing arguments to sway the jury.

His lawyer is very smart.

He may even go down the road of wanting an aquittal based on the fact the 3rd charge was added later, very late, thus not giving the defence a fair chance to prepare. The judge is already angry with the prosecution, its unlikely but could work.

 

[Saj]

His lawyer is very smart.

He may even go down the road of wanting an aquittal based on the fact the 3rd charge was added later, very late, thus not giving the defence a fair chance to prepare. The judge is already angry with the prosecution, its unlikely but could work.

I wasn't really impressed with the defense lawyer.

He was clutching at straws throughout the trial and made a fool of himself several times.

 

[Saj]

And so we move to closing arguments starting tomorrow.

Many who have followed the trial feel that the prosecution has the upper hand so far, but remember there are 8 white jurors.

 

[Gilly]

And so we move to closing arguments starting tomorrow.

Many who have followed the trial feel that the prosecution has the upper hand so far, but remember there are 8 white jurors.

What difference would it make just because the skin color of some jurors.

 

[Bigboii]

What difference would it make just because the skin color of some jurors.

Good joke!

But look up data on this...

 

[MenInG]

America is on the edge of a historic verdict that stands to have seismic repercussions whatever the outcome.

The jury will hear a final appeal from both sides on Monday as the prosecution and defence deliver their closing arguments in the trial of former officer Derek Chauvin over the death of George Floyd.

The 12 jurors will then be sequestered to determine the conclusion of this trial - a process that could take hours, days, even weeks.

The area surrounding the courthouse in downtown Minneapolis has become increasingly locked down and boarded up. Members of the National Guard now stationed on street corners and outside buildings. Public schools will be closed from Wednesday in anticipation of a verdict.

A tense nation is braced for unrest if Chauvin is acquitted.

Minneapolis is already seeing nightly protests after black 20-year-old Daunte Wright was killed by police in the city a week ago. Outrage has spread further still after the shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo, who was Latino, in Chicago.

In the course of this trial we heard a story of power and the powerless.

Those eyewitnesses who saw Chauvin with his knee on George Floyd's neck and could do nothing to save him. Those who felt scared of the police that day and a lack of trust in what they were doing.

It's that feeling of helplessness that makes this trial so important.

It's a verdict of what society will and won't accept. It's how change happens.

To understand why it has such high stakes, you need to know the story of Rodney King.

It's a name you hear time and time again when people talk about George Floyd and the need for justice. It's a name widely regarded as the last high profile test for America when it came to holding police accountable for brutality and racism.

It's something many feel America got very wrong.

Thirty years ago, the nation reeled in horror as the brutal beating of black citizen Rodney King was beamed into their homes. Caught on camera by a bystander, four Los Angeles police officers - three of them white - were seen savagely attacking him.

It was 3 March 1991. Rodney King was drink-driving and on parole. He led police on a high speed chase through Los Angeles. When he was finally pulled over, he was beaten with batons and kicked for 15 minutes while other officers looked on. The attack left him with broken bones, a fractured skull and permanent brain damage.

Four officers were charged with excessive use of force. All four were acquitted. A verdict that told Americans what they saw with their own eyes was reasonable police force against a black citizen.

It was one of the darkest chapters in LA's history. Much of the media were deemed as guilty as law enforcement for demonising Mr King as a violent criminal who got the kicking he deserved.

Less than three hours after the not-guilty verdicts, Los Angeles erupted in anger. The city saw the worst race riots since the 1960s. The unrest lasting five days and claimed the lives of more than 50 people.

The similarities between George Floyd and Rodney King are stark. Their violent treatment by police captured on video and seen around the country. Outrage followed. But for Rodney King, justice didn't.

For many, the outcome has to be different this time.

Chauvin pleads not guilty to the murder and manslaughter of George Floyd.

Just one juror could change the course of this verdict. All 12 jury members are needed to convict - all 12 to acquit. Anything in between is known as a hung jury - essentially deadlock - at which point the judge may declare a mistrial.

What happens next is in the hands of just 12 people but there's a sense of apprehension being felt around the country.

For many, the verdict doesn't just represent justice for the Floyd family - it's a statement of what America is prepared to accept - how it values and protects its black citizens.

 

[The_KING]

And so we move to closing arguments starting tomorrow.

Many who have followed the trial feel that the prosecution has the upper hand so far, but remember there are 8 white jurors.

Thank God for white jurors. At least they will be able to think rationally without bringing the race element into their decision making.

 

[Saj]

What difference would it make just because the skin color of some jurors.

You must be naive to think it doesn't make a difference at times.

 

[MenInG]

Update on closing arguments:

Prosecutor Steve Schleicher is still working hard to emphasise that the state's case is not aimed at the police as a whole, but at one former officer.

Derek Chauvin "betrayed the badge and everything it stood for", Schleicher says. "He did what he did on purpose. and it killed George Floyd."

The prosecution reminds the jury of the de-escalation techniques that police officers are supposed to rely on - a frequent topic at this trial.

How Chauvin behaved is "not how they're [police] are trained, it's not following the rules", Schleicher says.

The prosecutor also earlier hearkened back to the testimony of Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, who said the way Chauvin restrained Floyd was not in line with training and "certainly not part of our ethics and our values".

 

[MenInG]

Prosecution addresses 'drug overdose' argument

Schleicher has addressed one of the key arguments made by the defence last week.

The defence called a retired pathologist who suggested that heart disease and drug use contributed to Floyd's death.

In a combative tone, Schleicher dismisses these suggestions as "nonsense".

"He chose that moment to die of heart disease? Is that common sense or is that nonsense?" Schleicher asks the jury.

"You know that George Floyd struggled with drug addiction. You know that requires a tolerance. You know what the toxicology report says in terms of the levels [of drugs in his system] and you know what the testimony was about that."

"He didn’t die of a drug overdose. That’s not common sense, that’s nonsense. Believe your eyes - what you saw happen, happened."

Schleicher, once again, argues that it was Chauvin's restraint of Floyd that caused his death.

"The defendant pressed down on George Floyd so his lungs did not have the room to breathe," Schleicher says.


Prosecution: 'Floyd wasn't trying to escape'

The prosecution is continuing to place Derek Chauvin's actions in the context of his training.

As witnesses have testified, Chauvin - who was a 19-year veteran of the Minneapolis police force - had received 40 hours of training plus refresher courses.

Steve Schleicher says "he chose pride over policing" because he was not going to let George Floyd challenge his authority or to allow the crowd to dictate his behaviour.

Schleicher reminds the jury of eyewitness Charles McMillian, who repeatedly told Floyd to get in the car because "you can't win".

At the time, Floyd told McMillian he wasn't trying to win, and Schleicher points out "he looked like he had seen a monster" and was clearly afraid to get into the car.

"A reasonable officer in the defendant's position should have recognised and understood he wasn’t trying to escape," says Schleicher.

"Use your common sense. Believe your eyes. What you saw, you saw."

 

[MenInG]

Defence guides jury through Chauvin's perspective

In his closing argument, defence attorney Eric Nelson continues to argue that people's perception of the scene were impacted by each of their unique points of view.

From Chauvin's perspective, Nelson says, we see a chaotic scene, confused by the shouting bystanders.

At the very moment George Floyd takes his last breath, bystander Genevieve Hanson walks into the scene and startles Chauvin, Nelson says.

"All of these facts and circumstances simultaneously occur at a critical moment. And that changed Officer Chauvin's perception of what happened," he says. "At this point the crowd grows louder and louder."


Defence lawyer reveals he went to same school as witnesses

Nelson now turns to how different witnesses may have perceived Floyd’s arrest, based on their own personal experiences.

In making this argument, Nelson inserts himself into the narrative of his closing statement, saying we're all part of the same community.

The defence lawyer reveals that he went to the same high school as two people involved in this trial: Darnella Frazier, the teenage girl who filmed the arrest; and Minneapolis police chief Medaria Arradondo.

“We had the same perspectives, sat in the same classrooms, saw the same chalkboards. But our perception of experiences are going to be much different,” Nelson says.

These comments are designed to convince the jury that, to some people, the actions Chauvin and his fellow officers took during Floyd's arrest were reasonable.


What is the Minneapolis police use of force policy?

Both sides have placed a heavy emphasis on the "use of force" police officers are entitled to use while interacting with the public.

So what actually is the city's policy?

The April 2021 version of the Minneapolis Police Department's policy manual says that the "sanctity of life" is the "cornerstone" of its use of force policies.

Officers must only use a degree of force that is "objectively reasonable" and use the "lowest level of force necessary for safety and control".

Importantly, the policy says that physical force "shall not be used against individuals in restraints" except as needed to prevent escape or "bodily injury" to an officer or another person.

George Floyd was in handcuffs while Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck.

But this current policy includes some changes that went into effect as a result of Floyd's death.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said at the time the changes were meant to "improve trust" in the community. He also said there had been a "litany of reforms" to train officers in de-escalation both before and after the incident.

Before Floyd's death, Minneapolis had ended aggressive training that some argued put police officers into an "us vs them" mindset, local media reported.


Defence: The arrest was 'an intense struggle'

Defence attorney Eric Nelson tells the court that Derek Chauvin had to something to get George Floyd under control.

His colleagues were rookies who had tried and failed to use enough force to overcome Floyd's level of resistance, says Nelson.

He shows the court bodycam footage and surveillance footage, pointing out how the police car rocked back and forth, and Chauvin's bodycam and badge slipped off during the struggle.

"A reasonable police officer understands the intensity of the struggle," he says.

Nelson also adds that "not a single use of force expert who testified and not a single police officer said anything up until this point was unlawful or unreasonable".

That means it is only when Floyd was brought to the ground that there is a question over how lawful Chauvin's actions were, he tells the jury.

A reasonable officer, Nelson continues, is going to rely on training, evidence, and everything else he knows up until that point.

He says that prosecutors' obsession with the nine minutes and 29 seconds they say Chauvin knelt on Floyd ignores "the previous 16 minutes" of Floyd's interactions with police.


'Conscious neck restraint was an option for Chauvin'

Nelson plays a short clip of Floyd’s arrest, showing the moment officers tried to put Floyd in the squad car.

At this point, Nelson says, Chauvin was only "observing".

"He sees active resistance occurring, potentially active aggression occurring," Nelson says.

Nelson then shows the jury an image from the Minneapolis Police Department training guide. A "controlled take-down" and a "conscious neck restraint" are two of the possible responses to resistance listed on the slide shown by Nelson.

“These are options available to Mr Chauvin at this point," Nelson says.

But in making their case, prosecutors argued that Chauvin’s method of restraint was a breach of Minneapolis police policy.

Testifying during the second week of the trial, Minneapolis police chief Medaria Arradondo said the way Chauvin restrained Floyd violated the agency's policy on force.

 

[bujhee kom]

Whatever the outcome there are going to be riots.

 

[Saj]

Closing arguments done.

Jury start their deliberations.

The defence begging for a mis-trial.

Shops and businesses being boarded-up.

 

[MenInG]

The jury in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the ex-Minneapolis policeman accused of killing George Floyd last year, has retired to consider its verdict.

The prosecution told jurors that Mr Chauvin had murdered Mr Floyd, but the defence said their client had correctly followed police training.

The court is being protected by barbed wire, high barriers and armed soldiers from the National Guard.

Cities across the country are bracing for protests regardless of the verdict.

On Monday, the prosecution and defence made their closing statements in a trial that lasted three weeks. The prosecution then had another opportunity to rebut defence arguments before the jury was sent to deliberate.

Mr Chauvin's lawyer Eric Nelson argued that his client did what any "reasonable police officer" would have done after finding himself in a "dynamic" and "fluid" situation involving a large man scuffling with three officers.

He said Mr Chauvin's body camera and badge were knocked off his chest owing to "the intensity of the struggle".

Mr Nelson also argued that Mr Floyd's drug use was "significant" because the body reacts to opioid use, specifically in the case of someone who had been diagnosed with hypertension and high blood pressure.

The lawyer also argued that his client was unlikely to have intentionally violated use-of-force rules as he would have been aware that the whole interaction was being recorded. "Officers know that they are being videotaped," added Mr Nelson.

Prosecutor Steve Schleicher urged jurors to "use your common sense. Believe your eyes. What you saw, you saw," referring to the video showing Mr Chauvin kneeling on Mr Floyd for more than nine minutes last 25 May.

"This wasn't policing; this was murder," he added.

Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell had the final word on Monday. He said the matter was "so simple that a child can understand it".

"In fact, a child did understand it, when the nine-year-old girl said, 'Get off of him,'" Mr Blackwell said, referring to a young onlooker who objected. "That's how simple it was. 'Get off of him.' Common sense."

What happens now?
The jury will be sequestered to consider testimony from 45 witnesses, including doctors, use-of-force experts, police officers, bystanders and people who were close to Mr Floyd.

The defendant is charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Mr Chauvin faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charge - second-degree murder.

A conviction on any of the counts against him will require the jury to return a unanimous verdict. A single juror holding out would result in a mistrial, but the state could then try Mr Chauvin again.

Of the 12 jurors, six are white, four are black and two are multiracial. Seven are women and five are men.

How is the US preparing for the verdict?

The footage of Mr Chauvin, who is white, restraining Mr Floyd, a black man, on the floor as he shouted "I can't breathe" spurred months of global protests in 2020.

On Monday the governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, requested security assistance from the states of Ohio and Nebraska ahead of the verdict.

The Democrat was heavily criticised after more than 1,000 buildings and businesses were damaged in rioting last year.

In the early hours of Sunday, two National Guard members who were providing neighbourhood security in Minneapolis escaped with minor injuries when they were shot at in a drive-by shooting.

The streets around the court were quiet on Monday morning, but local residents are waiting to see what will happen once the verdict is reached.

One activist tells me they are planning to hit the streets, regardless of what kind of verdict is rendered.

If the jurors decide that Derek Chauvin is not guilty on all counts, or guilty only of manslaughter - a lesser charge - the activists will march.

But even if he is found guilty on all counts, the activists will still march - "a celebratory protest", as one of them put it.

In that case, the campaigners will take to the streets to show their satisfaction with the verdict, and to demand justice for the others who have died while in police custody.

After the jury was sent out on Monday, Mr Nelson argued remarks made by Democratic representative Maxine Waters over the weekend urging protesters to "get more confrontational" may have influenced the jury.

If there is no guilty verdict in Mr Chauvin's trial, the California congresswoman said in Minneapolis, "then we know that we got to not only stay in the street, but we have got to fight for justice".

In response, Judge Peter Cahill said: "I give you that congresswoman Waters may have given you something on appeal that may result in this trial being overturned."

The judge said the failure of elected officials to stop talking about the case in a manner disrespectful to the rule of law was "abhorrent".

However, he said Ms Waters' "opinion really doesn't matter a whole lot", and he dismissed Mr Nelson's motion for a mistrial.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56806961

 

[MenInG]

US President Joe Biden has said he is praying for the "right verdict" in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis ex-policeman accused of killing George Floyd last year.

Mr Biden, who spoke to Mr Floyd's family on Monday, implied he felt the evidence was "overwhelming".

His comments came as the jury meets for a second day to consider its verdict.

Mr Chauvin, 45, was filmed kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes during his arrest last May.

He is on trial for charges including second-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty.

The footage of Mr Chauvin, who is white, with his knee on African-American Mr Floyd's neck sparked global protests against racism. Cities around the US are bracing for renewed protests regardless of the verdict.

What did Biden say?

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the president spoke to Mr Floyd's family on Monday to "check in with them and also share that the family was in his prayers".

"The jury is sequestered... he certainly is not looking to influence [the trial]," she added.

Mr Biden spoke in more detail about the call at the White House on Tuesday. "I can only imagine the pressure and anxiety they are feeling," he said of the family.

"I waited until the jury was sequestered and I called [them]," he said. "They're calling for peace... no matter what that verdict is."

"I'm praying the verdict is the right verdict," Mr Biden added. "I think it's overwhelming in my view."

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Floyd's younger brother confirmed that he had spoken to the president.

"[Mr Biden] knows how it is to lose a family member, and he knows the process of what we're going through," Philonise Floyd told NBC News. "He was just letting us know that he was praying for us."

Mr Biden lost his first wife, Neilia, and baby daughter, Naomi, in a car accident in 1972. In 2015, his son Beau died of brain cancer at the age of 46.

BBC

 

[Technics 1210]

Jury is taking a while. If Chauvin was clear cut guilty I think the verdict would've been out by now.

 

[Nadeemp]

Mistrial I bet. Verdict reached

 

[Saj]

Verdict reached already wow!

Verdict to be read in about 1 hour.

 

[Saj]

Only 10.5 hours of deliberations.

Courthouse surrounded by barbed wire and schools closed amid heightened security ahead of verdict

Jurors were asked to decide on three charges: second-degree unintentional murder; second-degree manslaughter and third-degree murder

 

[Major]

guilty second degree

 

[Major]

The 12 jurors found him guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in George Floyd's death in May 2020.

 

[Saj]

Sentencing in 8 weeks.

Bail revoked and Chauvin is taken away from the courtroom in handcuffs.

 

[Markhor]

Justice done. Thank God.

 

[Saj]

This is the first time a white police officer has been found legally responsible for the death of a black man in custody in Minnesota's history, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

Minnesota is no exception. Throughout the US, police officers are rarely convicted or charged over deaths in custody.

 

[dildilpak]

This is the first time a white police officer has been found legally responsible for the death of a black man in custody in Minnesota's history, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

Minnesota is no exception. Throughout the US, police officers are rarely convicted or charged over deaths in custody.

This trial probably marks the first time the ‘Blue wall’ broke down - the police openly disowned & denounced one of their own. The Police chief testifying against one of his own was the most powerful action & i guess no jury could disregard that.

 

[Technics 1210]

Judge says we have not seen justice today, but accountability.

 

[Robert]

Justice done. Thank God.

Aye.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

This trial probably marks the first time the ‘Blue wall’ broke down - the police openly disowned & denounced one of their own. The Police chief testifying against one of his own was the most powerful action & i guess no jury could disregard that.

The first time it broke down for a white officer. Officer Mohammed Noor, a Somali Muslim, was sentenced (rightfully so) for third degree murder for shooting Justine Damond. The Chief of Police also testified in his trial.

Glad to see justice done in this case.

 

[MenInG]

It was a tense day at the White House. It began with Joe Biden saying he was praying for the “right verdict” in the Derek Chauvin trial, and his press secretary spending much of her subsequent news conference deflecting questions about whether that was a reckless statement.

It ended with the president and Vice-President Kamala Harris marking what they said was a just resolution to the case.

Their statements were delivered in the Cross Hall of the White House - the same location Barack Obama chose to announce the killing of Osama bin Laden.

The message was clear, that this was another historic day; another victory for justice. Biden warned, however, that the verdict was just a “step forward”, and “not enough”.

“We can’t stop here,” he said.

Both he and Harris specifically pointed to a history of systemic racism in the US, which Biden called a “stain on our nation’s soul".

To overcome that history, he said, requires lawmakers to act and for the American people to continue to work.

It shouldn’t take a “murder in the full light of day”, captured on video and stretched over nine minutes, as Biden said, to get the nation’s attention anymore.

 

[MenInG]

Boris Johnson: 'I welcome this verdict'

The death of George Floyd sparked an outcry across the US, but it also set off mass protests around the world, including in UK cities like London and Birmingham.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is one of the first world leaders to react to the verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin over Floyd's death.

In a post on Twitter, Johnson wrote he was "appalled" by how Floyd died and is keeping the Floyd family in his thoughts.

 

[MenInG]

A jury has unanimously convicted Derek Chauvin of the murder of George Floyd.

Former Minneapolis police officer Chauvin had denied charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

But after 10 and a half hours of deliberations, the jury convicted the 45-year-old on all counts.

Chauvin, whose face was obscured by a COVID mask, showed little emotion as the guilty verdicts were read out.

He was remanded in custody, handcuffed and led out of the courtroom.

Under Minnesota's sentencing guidelines, he faces 12.5 years in prison for his murder conviction as a first-time offender but prosecutors could seek a maximum of 40 years if the judge determined there were "aggravating factors".

Outside the court building, a crowd of several hundred people erupted in cheers when the verdicts were announced.

At Minneapolis's George Floyd square, where Mr Floyd was killed and which is now named after him, people screamed, applauded and wept.

The site has become a rallying point for racial justice protests.

US President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris called Mr Floyd's family moments after the verdict.

Mr Biden told them: "Nothing is going to make it all better, but at least now there is some justice.

"We're all so relieved."

Mrs Harris promised them: "We're going to make something good come out of this tragedy."

Later, speaking from the White House, Mr Biden said Chauvin's conviction "can be a giant step forward" for the nation against systemic racism.

Ben Crump, a lawyer for Mr Floyd's family, said afterwards: "America, let's pause for a moment to proclaim this historical moment, not just for the legacy of George Floyd but for the legacy of America.

"This is a victory for those who champion humanity over inhumanity, those who champion justice over injustice."

Mr Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died while being restrained by Chauvin, who is white, during his arrest in the US city in May 2020.

Video filmed by bystanders showed Chauvin's knee pressed into Mr Floyd's neck and back for almost nine minutes as he gasped for breath.

The footage shocked the world and sparked global protests about racism and police brutality.

An unarmed Mr Floyd had been apprehended after allegedly trying to use a counterfeit $20 note to buy cigarettes at a neighbourhood shop in Minneapolis - something senior police officers had said would not normally warrant arrest.

However, Chauvin's lawyer argued the former officer had acted reasonably because Mr Floyd kept struggling and he had actually died due to drugs found in his system - both arguments were dismissed by the jury's guilty verdict.

What happened on 25 May 2020?

After Donald Williams watched the last moments of George Floyd's life, he called the police because he believed he had witnessed a murder.

And now a jury in Minneapolis has agreed with that assessment.

But what Mr Williams witnessed from the pavement on 25 May last year was also seen by millions of people around the world within hours of Mr Floyd's death.

People using video phones captured the moment officers approached him outside the shop, to the moment his limp body was pulled on to a stretcher and carried into an ambulance.

Throughout the footage, Mr Floyd appeared upset, scared, uncooperative but never violent.

One of the key recordings came from the then 17-year-old Darnella Frazier, who told the court she stays awake some nights apologising to the memory of Mr Floyd for not intervening.

Who can say how differently this story may have played out had the teenager not recorded and shared on social media the anguished death of Mr Floyd?

Her mobile phone video - those infamous eight minutes and 46 seconds of footage - exposed the reality of one man's interaction with law enforcement and told a wider story of a history of police brutality and racial inequality in America.

A pivotal moment in US history?

It also made Chauvin's murder trial a landmark moment for the country.

It is rare for any police officer to be charged with murder or manslaughter when they kill someone in the line of duty. Only about a third of those who are charged are convicted.

Before Chauvin, only one police officer in Minnesota had been convicted of murder - and he was a Muslim Somali-American.

Chauvin's conviction will be welcomed by those who have been calling for a reckoning in the way minority communities, in particular, are treated by police. But it will be seen as only one step on a long road.

The Police Officers' Federation of Minneapolis said after the verdict: "We would like to thank the jury for their dedicated work and we understand they had an enormous burden. We also want to reach out to the community and still express our deep remorse for their pain, as we feel it every day as well.

"There are no winners in this case and we respect the jury's decision. We need the political pandering to stop and the race baiting of elected officials to stop. In addition, we need to stop the divisive comments and we all need to do better to create a Minneapolis we all love.

"To all the residents of Minneapolis, the POFM stands with you, and not against you. Looking forward to working together for a safer, better tomorrow."

Officers had been called to the scene on the day Mr Floyd died over reports of the use of a counterfeit $20 note. The police chief of Minneapolis said that was an offence that would not usually merit arrest.

https://news.sky.com/story/george-f...ficer-derek-chauvin-guilty-of-murder-12280899

 

[MenInG]

US President Joe Biden has told the family of George Floyd he is "relieved" after former police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of his murder.

Chauvin, 45, had denied all three counts, but was found unanimously guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

He showed no visible emotion as the verdict was handed down and he was refused bail, before being led out of the courtroom in handcuffs to be sentenced in eight weeks' time.

Video footage of the phone call shared by their lawyer Ben Crump captured the president saying: "Nothing is going to make it all better, but at least now there is some justice. We're all so relieved."

The president said the family had been "incredible" throughout the trial, that he had been "praying the verdict was the right verdict".

Vice President Kamala Harris promised that "we will make something good come out of this tragedy".

Speaking outside the courtroom, civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton encouraged family members and supporters to link arms in prayer.

He said through tears: "We broke down in tears when we heard the verdict. We had to hold each other in tears, but today we can wipe our tears away and fight for another day."

Rev Sharpton said the family "don't celebrate a man going to jail", as they would have preferred their loved one to be alive.

Mr Floyd's brother Philonise thanked "all the protesters, all the attorneys and all the activists for stepping up".

"Because justice for George means freedom for all," he said.

Mr Floyd's nephew Brandon Williams told crowds: "We need police reform bad.

"We need each and every officer to be held accountable and until then it's still scary to be a black man and woman in America."

Former president Barack Obama tweeted his reaction.

"Today, a jury did the right thing. But true justice requires much more," he wrote.

"Michelle and I send our prayers to the Floyd family, and we stand with all those who are committed to guaranteeing every American the full measure of justice that George and so many others have been denied."

Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman posted: "A reminder that victory would be George Floyd being alive. Every day Black Americans worry if they will be next is another day without justice."

While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi thanked Mr Floyd for "sacrificing your life for justice" as she gathered outside the White House with members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "appalled" by Mr Floyd's death and that he welcomes the verdict.

Mr Floyd, 46, died on 25 May last year after being arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 note.

Video footage that sparked protests around the world showed Chauvin with his knee on Mr Floyd's neck as he pleaded: "I can't breathe".

Despite onlookers' pleas for him to stop, he continued for nine-and-half minutes.

https://news.sky.com/story/george-f...er-derek-chauvin-convicted-of-murder-12282096

 

[GenericBrand]

Either this will set precedence and send a ripple through the Police force in the US (being accountable) or Chauvin was a scapegoat and business will continue as usual with Police behaviour.

 

[dildilpak]

The first time it broke down for a white officer. Officer Mohammed Noor, a Somali Muslim, was sentenced (rightfully so) for third degree murder for shooting Justine Damond. The Chief of Police also testified in his trial.

Glad to see justice done in this case.

My bad - had forgotten about that case. That was the case of an Australian lady shot by a cop by mistake? That one hugely parallels with the Daunte Wright one, now lets see how that plays out.

 

[Technics 1210]

So, where was the evidence that this was a case of a racially motivated murder? Where was the evidence that Chauvin intentionally murdered Floyd on grounds of racial discrimination?

That's right, there is no evidence. This was not a racist crime, it was a crime where a civilian was the victim of police brutality.

So please stop lying. Racism played no part in this case. In fact the people who claim this was a racist crime are racists themselves; pointing the finger without any evidence other than the colour of the police officer and victim.

In other news, The Times is reporting the judge will approve an appeal on the grounds of a mistrial. Apparently some congresswoman - person of colour - made a remark on being confrontational during the trial. (Not to mention trial by media).

This case isn't over yet.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

My bad - had forgotten about that case. That was the case of an Australian lady shot by a cop by mistake? That one hugely parallels with the Daunte Wright one, now lets see how that plays out.

Yep. OPPS, i made a mistake is not acceptable. So she needs to be held accountable, same way Noor was held responsible.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

So, where was the evidence that this was a case of a racially motivated murder? Where was the evidence that Chauvin intentionally murdered Floyd on grounds of racial discrimination?

That's right, there is no evidence. This was not a racist crime, it was a crime where a civilian was the victim of police brutality.

So please stop lying. Racism played no part in this case. In fact the people who claim this was a racist crime are racists themselves; pointing the finger without any evidence other than the colour of the police officer and victim.

Police discriminate against Black men. This is a common fact. And its very hard to hold them accountable. Had there been no video Chauvin would have not served one day, like the officer who executed Philando Castile.

Hopefully this is not a one off, and police are scared before they commit murders.

In other news, The Times is reporting the judge will approve an appeal on the grounds of a mistrial. Apparently some congresswoman - person of colour - made a remark on being confrontational during the trial. (Not to mention trial by media).

This case isn't over yet.

That judge said you might have grounds of a mistrial based on what Maxine waters said.

 

[Technics 1210]

Police discriminate against Black men. This is a common fact. And its very hard to hold them accountable. Had there been no video Chauvin would have not served one day, like the officer who executed Philando Castile.

Hopefully this is not a one off, and police are scared before they commit murders.



That judge said you might have grounds of a mistrial based on what Maxine waters said.

If anything this case should usher in new policing methods however the fact remains there was no evidence supporting a racist crime in this case.

The video way key in prosecuting Chauvin, but the video was not evidence of a racist attack but evidence of police brutality.

 

[James]

The right decision. Justice has been delivered.

 

[PakLFC]

No doubt the far right right are sharpening their knives too. The calm before the storm here for sure. The police are not boarding up the country for no reason.

 

[Stewie]

If anything this case should usher in new policing methods however the fact remains there was no evidence supporting a racist crime in this case.

The video way key in prosecuting Chauvin, but the video was not evidence of a racist attack but evidence of police brutality.

In most cases of hate crimes, what sort of evidence are you really hoping to see? The perp wearing a white hood? Burning the victim on a cross? Yelling racist epithets while murdering someone and allowing it to be recorded and captured?

What is really your angle here? What would need to happen to convince you racism is a factor? After you answer these questions, just think about how realistic you are about them.

The world doesn’t work this way. The proof is always circumstantial at best but it if you have the insight to interpret and observe patterns, you can tell.

When they drone Muslim populated areas in war zones, by the way, they don’t yell “Die Muslims” or claim the war is against Muslim countries or Islam. They say the war is on terror. Has nothing to do with religion or people or country. How many of us here believe that? Do you believe that? What forms the basis of your understanding there are other factors at play here?

 

[hoshiarpurexpress]

Justice done. Killer behind bars.
RIP George Floyd...

Ehsaas Khatam Ho Gaye
Atte Jazbaat Dafan Ho Gaye..

 

[Firebat]

When will Derek Chauvin be sentenced?

The eyes of the US - and the wider world - have been fixed on a courthouse in Minnesota, following the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd in May 2020.

The former police officer kneeled on the neck of the African-American man for more than nine minutes during an arrest in the city of Minneapolis, ignoring pleas that he couldn't breathe. Mr Floyd was declared dead an hour later.

On Tuesday, a jury found Chauvin guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter following a three-week trial.

Now the question is: what happens next?

What will the sentence be?

It will be another eight weeks before Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill will sentence Chauvin, allowing time to consider the options.

Under Minnesota guidelines, the minimum sentence is 12.5 years for the most serious charge, according to news agency Reuters.

However, the three counts - which all require Chauvin's actions to have led to Mr Floyd's death but interpret his intentions differently - have varying maximum sentences.

The most serious charge, second-degree murder - which applies if you commit a serious assault which played a substantial role in causing an unintentional death - carries a maximum penalty of 40 years.

Third-degree murder - defined as showing a reckless disregard for human life while in "depraved mind" by doing something considered "eminently dangerous" to another person resulting in their death - carries a maximum penalty of 25 years.

Manslaughter in the second degree - defined as acting negligently, creating unreasonable risk, and consciously taking chances of killing or harming another person - carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, or a fine of $20,000.

Prosecutors are asking for higher than the minimum sentence, arguing there were aggravating circumstances - including the arrest taking place in front of a nine-year-old child.

It is unclear whether the judge is likely to impose concurrent (served at the same time) or consecutive (served one after the other) sentences for each count. Concurrent sentences would amount to 12.5 years at least, while consecutive sentences could mean as long as 75 years behind bars, although parole is usually granted two-thirds of the way through a sentence, according to news agency AP.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56829289

 

[KingKhanWC]

Video was sufficient to show he's guilty.

Now cops will be more careful but its just a matter of time before another death causes riots/anger.

 

[Technics 1210]

Video was sufficient to show he's guilty.

Now cops will be more careful but its just a matter of time before another death causes riots/anger.

Cops will be more careful?

I doubt it. Not after a policer officer was murdered by a black suspect about 3 weeks ago outside the Whitehouse. The story was tucked away while the trial was going on - it's obvious why.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/04/02/us-capitol-building-locked-reports-gunshots/

I think this case will divide and fuel the race war in USA.

This is why I now refuse to debate with BLM and lefties now. They only see, hear, and listen to what the media feeds them and as such have no opinion of their own, other than if you disagree, you're a racist.

 

[Saj]

So please stop lying. Racism played no part in this case.

Would Chauvin have done the same if that was a white man who was dying due to his knee being on his neck? Would he have even dared to put his knee on the white man's neck as he did? The answers are no.

In other news, The Times is reporting the judge will approve an appeal on the grounds of a mistrial. Apparently some congresswoman - person of colour - made a remark on being confrontational during the trial. (Not to mention trial by media).

The defence tried the carbon monoxide reason, they tried the reason of Floyd's heart was too big, they tried that he had taken drugs and it all turned out to be rubbish and was proven to be rubbish by witnesses.

The defence also tried the congresswoman mistrial line, and the judge threw it out within a few seconds.

 

[Saj]

When a jury in Minnesota convicted Derek Chauvin of the murder of George Floyd a year after his killing was caught on camera, his family said they would finally be able to get some sleep.

But the conviction of Chauvin has not brought an end to the criminal case surrounding Mr Floyd’s death.

Now attention turns to the coming trial of the three other police officers who were present when Mr Floyd died following his arrest in the city last year.

Chauvin, 45, was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death, and he will be sentenced in eight weeks time.

When the jury’s guilty verdicts were read out in the Minneapolis court room on Tuesday, Chauvin became the first white police officer ever convicted of the murder of a Black person in the state.

Mohamed Noor, a Somali-American, was the first police officer in the state convicted of murder for the shooting death of white woman Justine Ruszczyk Damond.

Noor received 12.5 years in prison after being convicted of third-degree murder and manslaughter and the city of Minneapolis settled a civil lawsuit with her family for $20 million.

Now former Minneapolis police officers Tou Thao, 35, Thomas Lane, 38, and J Alexander Kueng, 27, all face charges of aiding and abetting Chauvin in second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter of Floyd.

The state’s attorney general’s office will try and add a third-degree murder charge against all three officers in a Minnesota Court of Appeals hearing set for 20 May.

They are set to face trial on 23 August after a judge separated their trial from Chauvin’s because of Covid-19 concerns.

The three officers, who responded to the call on 25 May 2020, could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted of aiding and abetting murder.

But sentencing guidelines can also reduce that sentence to a maximum of 15 years.

All three former officers remain free on $750,000 bail.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/worl...-george-floyd-death/ar-BB1fTQEA?ocid=msedgntp