In this image from video, former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin arrives for the verdict in his trial for the 2020 death of George Floyd, Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn. (Court TV via ...
By Valerie Richardson - The Washington Times - Updated: 5:56 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20, 2021
A Minneapolis jury on Tuesday found Derek Chauvin guilty of all charges in the death of George Floyd, reaching a verdict after less than a day of deliberations in a case that ignited mass protests and calls for police reform across the nation.
Hennepin County Court Judge Peter Cahill read the guilty verdicts on the three counts: unintentional second-degree murder; third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.
The 45-year-old Chauvin appeared unsurprised by the guilty verdicts, which could send him to prison for the rest of his life. He was handcuffed and remanded into custody shortly after the verdict was read and the jurors excused.
SEE ALSO: Biden, Harris hail ‘justice’ after guilty verdict in George Floyd death
Judge Cahill thanked the jurors “not only for jury service, but for heavy-duty jury service.”
Protesters and onlookers who gathered outside the Hennepin County courthouse could be seen pumping fits, hugging and cheering after the verdict was announced and word spread, as shown on video.
The jury of seven women and five men began deliberating late Monday after receiving the case following closing arguments, spending about 10 hours considering the evidence and apparently asking no questions of the judge in what was described by legal experts as a speedy turnaround.
SEE ALSO: Maxine Waters ‘relieved’ at guilty verdict in George Floyd case
The trial itself lasted 14 days, with the prosecution calling 38 witnesses in 11 days and the defense bringing seven witnesses in two days in the racially charged case, but the star witness was video that showed Chauvin pin Floyd to the pavement for nine minutes and 29 seconds.
Chauvin, who is White, sought to subdue Floyd, who was Black, during an arrest for passing a counterfeit $20 bill outside a Cup Foods by kneeling on or near the back of his neck while the 46-year-old Floyd was handcuffed and lying face-down on the pavement.
Prosecutors needed to prove that the force applied by Chauvin was a “substantial causal factor” in Floyd’s death to be found guilty of second-degree murder, not that it was the only factor.
For second-degree murder, the maximum sentence is 40 years, while third-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of 25 years, and second-degree manslaughter is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Chauvin sought to subdue Floyd during an arrest by kneeling on or near the back of his neck while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face-down on the pavement.
Prosecutor Steve Schleicher wrapped up the case Monday by refuting defense assertions that Floyd died of a drug overdose or heart disease, calling his death a “straight-up felony assault.”
“Believe your eyes. What you saw happen, happened,” said Mr. Schleicher, referring to the video footage of Floyd‘s death.
Defense attorney Eric Nelson countered that his client “did not purposely use unlawful force,” saying the officers at the scene were “doing their job in a highly stressful situation, according to the training, according to the policies of the Minneapolis Police Department. And it’s tragic.”
The viral video of the incident touched off mass U.S. protests in most major cities, causing an estimated $1-2 billion in damage from the rioting and looting that accompanied some peaceful protests, and sparking calls for police reform.
President Biden said Tuesday that he contacted the Floyd family on Monday, after the jury had been sequestered, and that he was praying for “the right verdict.”
“They’re a good family, and they’re calling for peace and tranquility, no matter what that verdict is,” Mr. Biden told reporters. “I’m praying that verdict is the right verdict, which I think it’s overwhelming, in my view. I wouldn’t say that unless the jury was sequestered now.”
The city of Minneapolis announced March 12, about two weeks before jury selection began, that it had reached a $27 million settlement in a civil lawsuit filed by the Floyd family. The figure was a record for the city.
The jury was sequestered Monday for its deliberations, but not during the trial, a decision that was second-guessed after a fresh wave of protests swept the metro region following the April 11 death of 20-year-old Daunte Wright, who was shot by an officer during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.
Judge Cahill raised the possibility Monday that a guilty verdict could be overturned on appeal over fiery comments made last weekend by Rep. Maxine Waters, California Democrat, who joined a Brooklyn Center protest and said activists should “get more confrontational” unless Chauvin was found guilty of murder.
“I’ll give you that Congresswoman Waters may have given you something on appeal that may result in this whole trial being overturned,” Judge Cahill told the court.
The judge also said that elected officials should give their opinions in a “respectful manner,” and that “their failure to do so I think is abhorrent, but I don’t think it has prejudiced us.”
“They have been told not to watch the news. I trust they are following those instructions, and that there is not in any way a prejudice to the defendant,” said the judge.
Ms. Waters said Saturday he should be found guilty of murder, not manslaughter, preferably first-degree murder, a charge not filed by the prosecution.
“Not manslaughter—no, no,” Ms. Waters said. “This is guilty for murder. I don’t know whether it’s in the first degree but as far as I’m concerned, it’s first-degree murder.”
The Black Lives Matter protests last summer over Floyd‘s death including calls to defund the police, but Mr. Schleicher told jurors that they should not view the Chauvin trial as a referendum on law enforcement.
“He did what he did on purpose, and it killed George Floyd,” Mr. Schleicher said. “He betrayed the badge and everything it stood for. This is not an anti-police prosecution. It’s a pro-police prosecution.”
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By Valerie Richardson - The Washington Times - Updated: 5:56 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20, 2021
A Minneapolis jury on Tuesday found Derek Chauvin guilty of all charges in the death of George Floyd, reaching a verdict after less than a day of deliberations in a case that ignited mass protests and calls for police reform across the nation.
Hennepin County Court Judge Peter Cahill read the guilty verdicts on the three counts: unintentional second-degree murder; third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.
The 45-year-old Chauvin appeared unsurprised by the guilty verdicts, which could send him to prison for the rest of his life. He was handcuffed and remanded into custody shortly after the verdict was read and the jurors excused.
SEE ALSO: Biden, Harris hail ‘justice’ after guilty verdict in George Floyd death
Judge Cahill thanked the jurors “not only for jury service, but for heavy-duty jury service.”
Protesters and onlookers who gathered outside the Hennepin County courthouse could be seen pumping fits, hugging and cheering after the verdict was announced and word spread, as shown on video.
The jury of seven women and five men began deliberating late Monday after receiving the case following closing arguments, spending about 10 hours considering the evidence and apparently asking no questions of the judge in what was described by legal experts as a speedy turnaround.
SEE ALSO: Maxine Waters ‘relieved’ at guilty verdict in George Floyd case
The trial itself lasted 14 days, with the prosecution calling 38 witnesses in 11 days and the defense bringing seven witnesses in two days in the racially charged case, but the star witness was video that showed Chauvin pin Floyd to the pavement for nine minutes and 29 seconds.
Chauvin, who is White, sought to subdue Floyd, who was Black, during an arrest for passing a counterfeit $20 bill outside a Cup Foods by kneeling on or near the back of his neck while the 46-year-old Floyd was handcuffed and lying face-down on the pavement.
Prosecutors needed to prove that the force applied by Chauvin was a “substantial causal factor” in Floyd’s death to be found guilty of second-degree murder, not that it was the only factor.
For second-degree murder, the maximum sentence is 40 years, while third-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of 25 years, and second-degree manslaughter is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Chauvin sought to subdue Floyd during an arrest by kneeling on or near the back of his neck while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face-down on the pavement.
Prosecutor Steve Schleicher wrapped up the case Monday by refuting defense assertions that Floyd died of a drug overdose or heart disease, calling his death a “straight-up felony assault.”
“Believe your eyes. What you saw happen, happened,” said Mr. Schleicher, referring to the video footage of Floyd‘s death.
Defense attorney Eric Nelson countered that his client “did not purposely use unlawful force,” saying the officers at the scene were “doing their job in a highly stressful situation, according to the training, according to the policies of the Minneapolis Police Department. And it’s tragic.”
The viral video of the incident touched off mass U.S. protests in most major cities, causing an estimated $1-2 billion in damage from the rioting and looting that accompanied some peaceful protests, and sparking calls for police reform.
President Biden said Tuesday that he contacted the Floyd family on Monday, after the jury had been sequestered, and that he was praying for “the right verdict.”
“They’re a good family, and they’re calling for peace and tranquility, no matter what that verdict is,” Mr. Biden told reporters. “I’m praying that verdict is the right verdict, which I think it’s overwhelming, in my view. I wouldn’t say that unless the jury was sequestered now.”
The city of Minneapolis announced March 12, about two weeks before jury selection began, that it had reached a $27 million settlement in a civil lawsuit filed by the Floyd family. The figure was a record for the city.
The jury was sequestered Monday for its deliberations, but not during the trial, a decision that was second-guessed after a fresh wave of protests swept the metro region following the April 11 death of 20-year-old Daunte Wright, who was shot by an officer during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.
Judge Cahill raised the possibility Monday that a guilty verdict could be overturned on appeal over fiery comments made last weekend by Rep. Maxine Waters, California Democrat, who joined a Brooklyn Center protest and said activists should “get more confrontational” unless Chauvin was found guilty of murder.
“I’ll give you that Congresswoman Waters may have given you something on appeal that may result in this whole trial being overturned,” Judge Cahill told the court.
The judge also said that elected officials should give their opinions in a “respectful manner,” and that “their failure to do so I think is abhorrent, but I don’t think it has prejudiced us.”
“They have been told not to watch the news. I trust they are following those instructions, and that there is not in any way a prejudice to the defendant,” said the judge.
Ms. Waters said Saturday he should be found guilty of murder, not manslaughter, preferably first-degree murder, a charge not filed by the prosecution.
“Not manslaughter—no, no,” Ms. Waters said. “This is guilty for murder. I don’t know whether it’s in the first degree but as far as I’m concerned, it’s first-degree murder.”
The Black Lives Matter protests last summer over Floyd‘s death including calls to defund the police, but Mr. Schleicher told jurors that they should not view the Chauvin trial as a referendum on law enforcement.
“He did what he did on purpose, and it killed George Floyd,” Mr. Schleicher said. “He betrayed the badge and everything it stood for. This is not an anti-police prosecution. It’s a pro-police prosecution.”
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