Derek Chauvin trial

The consequences if he's acquitted don't bare thinking about.

Although I disagree with trial by media and mob rule dictating the outcome of a trial I will not shed a tear when he is found guilty.

Very worrying indeed.
And as Smileless 2012 says the consequences in the USA and here,as some here get on the bandwagon is un- nerving.

The last high profile case in that area was a few years ago when a black officer killed a white woman. He’s in prison serving 12 and a half years. Her family were paid $20m which was the benchmark for the $27m the Floyd family received. The victims name was George Floyd by the way - it might have been appropriate to acknowledge that.

timetogo2016

Very worrying indeed.
And as Smileless 2012 says the consequences in the USA and here,as some here get on the bandwagon is un- nerving.

And what bandwagon is that exactly? The one objecting to the killing of George Floyd?

There was nothing inappropriate that the victims name wasn't mentioned and I would have thought that the "bandwagon" timetogo referred too, was in reference to people who turn up protests with the sole purpose of making trouble and not because they genuinely support the cause.

Smileless2012

There was nothing inappropriate that the victims name wasn't mentioned and I would have thought that the "bandwagon" timetogo referred too, was in reference to people who turn up protests with the sole purpose of making trouble and not because they genuinely support the cause.

Thank you for that insight into times thinking.

Remember when the terrorism attack happened in NZ and Ardern refused to mention the perpetrators name? Its like that.

I seriously didn't know what this was referring to to begin with because I'm more concerned with the victim here than the perpetrator.

DH was reading online that one part of the defence is that Floyd had a medical problem, and that's what killed him, not the Police Officer kneeling on his neck for 9 1/2 minutes. Let's see.

That`s exactly my point Smileless 2012.

Smileless2012

The consequences if he's acquitted don't bare thinking about.

That is exactly what my friend who lives close to Minneapolis is saying.

timetogo.

I am equally concerned with the victim and the perpetrator, my concern regarding the latter being that he is convicted of and punished for his crime.

We saw a snap shot of an interview with a member of the defence team making that claim Alegrias. Disturbing doesn't begin to sum it up.

Of course he will not be found guilty, American police offices are never found guilty of anything.

This is bound to open the floodgates here after so many have "died" in custody.
I always tend to think back at the Ian Tomlinson case when he'd received a good kicking from an officer during a protest and even the pathologist was crooked.

I don't have much time for police in general because of the pockets of corruption in certain areas and their attitude of being untouchable.

I'm certain he will be found guilty. He is guilty. We all saw it.

I agree Gannygangan how can he not be. The whole world saw it.

The defense were saying that force was not attractive but a necessary part of policing ?
During his time as an officer there'd been at least 22 complaints into his performance as an officer.
It sounds as though he's been a bully over many years of his service.

Smileless2012 what has the fact the world saw iwhat he did got to do with a conviction for doing it?There have been other cases where the evidence has been on film and still the police man has been acquitted.

I believe Chauvin's defence is that the deceased had a drug habit, had asthma or heart problems, or other problems that caused his death. At worst he will get a manslaughter conviction and a derisory sentence,.

I think it is more likely he will get off. They always do, what has evidence got to do with it?

That should support the prosecution's case EllanVannin.

I think that the whole world seeing that distressing video will have a lot to do with it M0nica and I certainly hope so.

Courts have a habit of swaying towards what the officers have to say----but the final decision is from the judge isn't it ?

Video's that were taken at the scene tell all, not something that I could watch closely and scrutinise. I had to turn away. Murder in cold blood---horrendous. With a background such as Chauvin's I'd have said it was intentional.

If the prosecution can make the case that what the officer did was within acceptable limits of force, then he'll get off.

Whether the officer has a history of this kind of thing, whether it will cause outrage among the US population, whether Floyd had a health condition or not, if his lawyers can put any doubt into the jury's mind that about whether he intended to kill him or not, he'll get off.

Yes I should have mentioned Floyd to make it clear what this was about.

I am sure the defence will mention Floyd’s health problems plus drug and alcohol use.

Beyond reasonable doubt applies to the American system as well as our own and as it is here, the onus is on the prosecution to prove guilt rather than on the defence to prove innocence.

Both 'sides' will use whatever they can to prove their case which will have included the selection of the jury.

Fingers crossed that justice prevails.

Well, it hasn't in the past.

We can only hope that it does this time.