Something unusual is happening in Derek Chauvin's trial

[Rogue Valley]

Analysis: Something unusual is happening in Derek Chauvin's trial

Some of the most damaging testimony against the police officer on trial over the death of George Floyd is coming from fellow cops.

www.cnn.com

45/8/21
Some of the most damaging testimony against the police officer on trial over the death of George Floyd is coming from fellow cops. The second week of evidence against Derek Chauvin, who is charged with murdering Floyd, has moved on from wrenching eyewitness accounts of the Minnesota man's death, which sparked a worldwide racial reckoning. Prosecutors are now narrowing in on Chauvin's conduct in subduing Floyd, making a case that he acted outside reasonable police procedure. The defense will argue that a combination of Floyd's health conditions that Chauvin could not have known about means there is reasonable doubt about whether he ultimately caused Floyd's death. But a succession of police officers have said Chauvin's actions were unnecessary, as prosecutors try to convince the jury that he acted with malice. Lt. Richard Zimmerman, who leads the Minneapolis Police Department's homicide unit, said Chauvin's use of force while Floyd was already pinned down and handcuffed was "totally unnecessary." Police Chief Medaria Arradondo testified that officers are not trained to kneel on the necks of suspects. Sgt. Jody Stiger, an LAPD use of force expert, said Chauvin had employed "excessive" force. Another police officer, Nicole Mackenzie, said officers are required to provide medical help and to call emergency services for suspects who appear in distress.

Prosecutors have of course selected witnesses who bolster their case. But most of the officers who testified came across as sympathetic, subtly embroidering the wider arguments about police brutality in America. It's impossible for an outsider to know what's really going on: Is one officer being thrown overboard to shield the Minneapolis Police Department from wider claims of endemic brutality and misconduct? Or are witnesses revealing a rogue colleague whose actions left an unfair impression of the force and the police more generally? In either case, it is highly unusual to see a parade of US police officers testify so uniformly against one of their own. More often, they close ranks.

IMO the witness testimony thus far, from onlookers (one an off-duty fire-fighter/EMT), police supervisors and trainers, ambulance personnel, ER doctors, and medical forensic experts has collectively been very damming to Derek Chauvin. The defense has scored some points, but on the whole this prosecution has been professional, granular, and comprehensive. What it will no doubt come down to is which forensic experts the jury believes. Defendant Chauvin comes across so far as cold, clinical and indifferent. Will Chauvin testify? At this point, I would advise against that unless there is no better recourse. The items that Chauvin cannot easily explain away are numerous. The best the defense can do here is try to convince the jury that Mr. Floyd had underlying health problems and was high on drugs at the time which precipitated a deadly heart attack. I don't believe that yarn for a second, but there it is. What is unusual in this trial is the testimony from former fellow Minneapolis police officers/trainers. Usually this is a line that is not crossed. Are these Minneapolis LEO's simply protecting the Minneapolis PD brand and throwing Chauvin under the bus to do so? I don't think so. I think this murder was so despicable and horrific that no decent human being can look away with indifference.

 

[MamboDervish]

Analysis: Something unusual is happening in Derek Chauvin's trial

Some of the most damaging testimony against the police officer on trial over the death of George Floyd is coming from fellow cops.

www.cnn.com

IMO the witness testimony thus far, from onlookers (one an off-duty fire-fighter/EMT), police supervisors and trainers, ambulance personnel, ER doctors, and medical forensic experts has collectively been very damming to Derek Chauvin. The defense has scored some points, but on the whole this prosecution has been professional, granular, and comprehensive. What it will no doubt come down to is which forensic experts the jury believes. Defendant Chauvin comes across so far as cold, clinical and indifferent. Will Chauvin testify? At this point, I would advise against that unless there is no better recourse. The items that Chauvin cannot easily explain away are numerous. The best the defense can do here is try to convince the jury that Mr. Floyd had underlying health problems and was high on drugs at the time which precipitated a deadly heart attack. I don't believe that yarn for a second, but there it is. What is unusual in this trial is the testimony from former fellow Minneapolis police officers/trainers. Usually this is a line that is not crossed. Are these Minneapolis LEO's simply protecting the Minneapolis PD brand and throwing Chauvin under the bus to do so? I don't think so. I think this murder was so despicable and horrific that no decent human being can look away with indifference.

In the final analysis, Mr. Floyd was subdued, supine, handcuffed, and there was plenty of law enforcement around for him to be considered zero threat to anyone - and for many minutes. There's no amount of graffiti that the defense can spray over the writing on the wall. Chauvin's actions killed him, in plain sight of everyone, including other officers. The prosecution has been dealt the best hand. The only wildcards that remain in the deck are the sentiments of the jury, and the instructions of the judge.

 

[JANFU]

Analysis: Something unusual is happening in Derek Chauvin's trial

Some of the most damaging testimony against the police officer on trial over the death of George Floyd is coming from fellow cops.

www.cnn.com

IMO the witness testimony thus far, from onlookers (one an off-duty fire-fighter/EMT), police supervisors and trainers, ambulance personnel, ER doctors, and medical forensic experts has collectively been very damming to Derek Chauvin. The defense has scored some points, but on the whole this prosecution has been professional, granular, and comprehensive. What it will no doubt come down to is which forensic experts the jury believes. Defendant Chauvin comes across so far as cold, clinical and indifferent. Will Chauvin testify? At this point, I would advise against that unless there is no better recourse. The items that Chauvin cannot easily explain away are numerous. The best the defense can do here is try to convince the jury that Mr. Floyd had underlying health problems and was high on drugs at the time which precipitated a deadly heart attack. I don't believe that yarn for a second, but there it is. What is unusual in this trial is the testimony from former fellow Minneapolis police officers/trainers. Usually this is a line that is not crossed. Are these Minneapolis LEO's simply protecting the Minneapolis PD brand and throwing Chauvin under the bus to do so? I don't think so. I think this murder was so despicable and horrific that no decent human being can look away with indifference.

Have not seen hide nor hair of the Police union