The verdict is in. What role did the closing arguments play? Did the jury get it right? How can you be convicted of three crimes for one murder? And what will the sentence be? We answer all those questions and more.
74. The Verdict: Derek Chauvin and the Murder of George Floyd
The Prosecutors Podcast 
No law background here whatsoever, but I am thinking about a case in which someone could kill someone without being guilty of assault. What about someone with Tourette’s being not in control of their body, and hitting a person that leads to their death?
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Good one. But the problem is, they wouldn’t be guilty of murder either. We need someone who is guilty of murder, but not assault.
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No law background here whatsoever, but I am thinking about a case where a person could kill someone without being guilty of assault. What about a person with a disability like Tourette’s who cannot control their bodily actions hits a person and that leads to their death?
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Good one, but then they wouldn’t be guilty of murder either. We need someone who is guilty of murder but not assault.
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Just completed listening to this case. Thank you. Often Brett not only repeats himself but repeats what Alice has just said… well, that’s ok, annoying but ok. I get he’s wanting viewers to get the whole picture and thank you Alice for being so articulate… nailing it every time. Alice is so not annoying. I’ve also watched numerous youtube videos, so my comments and questions are about both and in no particular order.
Why were two rookie policemen riding in the same squad car, Lane and Kueng? All I can say is Wow. M.P.D. is this dysfunctional?
Derek’s seniority went straight to his brainless head. His intent was to be important, in charge, top cop… and he had no thought of George Floyd rooting around on the pavement, none, he had no thoughts of anything but his perceived importance. when all is said and done, he showed the rookies just how far he would take his stupidity and unfortunately they will pay. How many police departments learned anything from this incident in regard not only to rookie’s but accountability by all members of a force?
In the youtube video, Chauvin can be seen milling about the stretcher right before George was lifted into the ambulance. I mainly remember his eyes when he shut the ambulance door… they were huge. Was he in disbelief? Shock? Did he accept at that moment that George had expired under his knee? When did it register that most of the witnesses had phone video?
The fact he never showed remorse or apologized to the world or especially Mr. Floyd’s family is huge, His arrogance murdered George Floyd, even without intent to kill anyone when he exited his patrol car on this fatal day in George’s life but also his own. Will his lack of remorse affect the federal case against him, if there is a jury? As you have stated over again, even though jurors are told to disregard some particular testimony, they can’t unhear it or unsee it.
I’ll assume that the inhumanity shown by Derek Chauvin as he nonchalantly rested his hands in his pockets will affect his federal case. His refusal to assess George medically and denying others to do the same. Chauvin’s behavior and attitude are front and center in both audio and particularly video showing/ telling the world that George’s basic constitutional rights were denied. Will the federal case be that cut and dried?
Do you think Mr. Lane will get off? He did make at least two attempts to reposition George and Kueng did ck George’s pulse a couple of times. But will Mr. Thao’s behavior go against him?
George seemed sedated. His behavior in the store was suspicious as seen in the video and his speech outside the store was on redial. He kept sorting what looked like dollar bills and walking and milling around the store…and dancing and maybe this is that kind of store, a hang out sort of. Do these stores watch for suspicious customers?
George’s resistance and uncooperativeness in the beginning was unbelievable, made no sense to me. Why wasn’t he tased? I don’t now the rules for that but isn’t it used as a temporary restraint? George fought them the entire time. Taser yes but not murder. I also recall from the video that George starting saying he couldn’t breath while in the back seat of the patrol car while resisting well fighting off the policemen. This is puzzling, Was in a headlock then? I couldn’t see.
In the podcast, something to the effect of… “jurors will be looking for something”, prob. not exact wording. Aren’t they given an outline to follow as far as deliberation/ other goes? Instructions, if you will. I know no one can know what’s going on in the brain of another but I sort of took this statement to mean that some jurors will have an agenda. Is this what was meant? Some jurors have an agenda.
Lastly, why on earth are the trial questions drawn out to minute questions? Omg. Details that are not relevant and that take a topic way off course. I thought I would die listening to the defense, even the prosecutor…. didn’t think I could finish it. And, on top of that dragging out questioning rarely culminated in an ‘ah ha” moment.
I was appalled from the beginning last year and disturbed by the video of George’s death, I could see on video the change in his facial color… he literally turned gray before our eyes. But I never watched youtube or kept up with the trial and so forth. So listening to your pod and going back and watching the trial has renewed by interest in this injustice. I hope I never see something like this again, I hope we don’t.
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In 2022 ambush-style attacks resulted in 124 police officers being shot, 31 of whom were killed by gunfire in those attacks.
Ask yourself this… does your job involve being ambushed and shot?
The war against police must be stopped.
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