There was great national expectation this Monday for the end of the Minneapolis trial against Derek Chauvin, the policeman accused of suffocating George Floyd in the same town a year ago and whose death sparked violent protests across the country.
After two weeks of the trial, prosecutors and lawyers presented their closing arguments, leading the final verdict.
(You May Interest: Shocking Revelations From George Floyd’s Final Moments)
The closing arguments were, in a way, a summary of what could be seen live and live during these 15 days.
For the prosecution, which Derek is suing on three counts:second and third degree murder and manslaughter-, the case is very simple and the solution has only one possible way: that it was the actions of the police officer that cost this 46-year-old man his life and that they should therefore declare him guilty of everything. A punishment that considers between 10 and 50 years in prison.
Jerry Blackwell, the lead prosecutor for the team that Derek is indicting, returned to one of the strongest arguments he had in his favor. The video of more than 9 minutes showing Derek resting his knee on Floyd’s neck until he stops breathing and is pronounced dead by paramedics.
(Also: Police involved in George Floyd’s murder went free)
Protests against George Floyd’s death took place in Minneapolis and other cities in the United States.
“You can believe what your eyes saw. This was murder, period, ”Blackwell said.
The prosecution, of course, brought up the testimony of the fifteen people he questioned before the jury.
Coroners who use the Floyd’s asphyxiation dead, police officers and ex-police officers who labeled the kind of violence Derek used to stop the African American and that of the passers-by who begged him to be excessive and unnecessary.
(Be sure to read: The United States Faces Massive Protests Over Police Abuse Cases)
George Floyd “asked for help with his dying breath” and posed no threat to anyone, prosecutor Steve Schleicher said closing the arguments at trial. “All it took was a little compassion and he showed nothing that day,” he added. “He asked for help with his dying breath, but the officer didn’t help,” said Schleicher.
The world that Floyd’s defenses painted was as if from another planet.
For this, Floyd died not suffocated but as a result of his addiction to drugs and alcohol, that had weakened his body.
The maneuver used to check it is not prohibited by the police manual so some disagree and if it has not been released Floyd In those long and painful 9 minutes, it was because he feared for his life, because he was surrounded by people who accused him of the cruelty used in the arrest.
Protesters hold banners in honor of George Floyd and other victims of racism.
Derek, who pleaded not guilty, did not testify at trial, invoking his right not to incriminate himself with his own testimony. Under US law, the jury will have to deliberate without interruption until a verdict is reached that must be unanimous in order to reach a conviction.
For this, the judges will isolate themselves and lock themselves in a hotel to judge everything the evidence presented during the trial and come to a sentence. It is expected that, if there is consensus, a ruling can take place between Wednesday and Friday of this week. However, it can take more days or weeks.
In the end, if there was no unanimity, even by a single jury, Derek would be acquitted in the trial. Prosecutors could, if that happened, request a retrial with a different judge and jury.
If you are found guilty, it will take the judge a few weeks to determine the sentence based on the maximums and minimums considered in the charges against you.
(Read here: George Floyd: Girlfriend claims he was addicted to opiates and had covid)
What costs could Chauvin face?
The ex-cop is charged with second-degree murder, which carries a maximum of 40 years in prison; third-degree murder, with a maximum sentence of 25 years, and second-degree murder, involving up to 10 years of deprivation of liberty.
However, as he has no criminal record, he can only be sentenced to a maximum of 12 and a half years imprisonment for the first two charges and 4 years in prison for the third.
Second-degree murder in the US can occur in two scenarios: when the suspect kills someone deliberately but without intent, or when there is no intention but violence is used to commit the crime.
In his closing arguments, Prosecutor Steve Schleicher argued that Chauvin is guilty of this charge because he “assaulted Floyd, intentionally used unlawful force and inflicted substantial bodily harm,” resulting in his death. According to the evidence provided by the Minnesota State Department, Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, which reportedly resulted in his death from asphyxiation.
(Read here: The United States is living a wave of mass shootings with no solution in sight)
Authorities deployed riot squads in the city last year after Floyd’s death. The National Guard is present this time.
The charge of third degree murder requires death to occur involuntarily, without premeditation, but through the fault of one. act irresponsibly or recklessly, as in many road accidents where a pedestrian is killed.
To prosecutors, Chauvin acted recklessly toward human life by placing his knee on Floyd’s neck for several minutes, despite the African American man repeatedly assuring him that he could not breathe.The defendant caused Floyd’s death in an intentional act that was eminently dangerous to other people and he acted with a frame of mind consisting of an indifferent disregard for human life.“, subrayó Schleicher.
So that Chauvin has been convicted of manslaughterthe jury must decide that Floyd’s death occurred as a result of the former police officer’s negligence. The defendant caused the death of Floyd, for negligent negligence, as it created an unreasonable risk and was clearly at risk of causing death or major physical injury, ”said Schleicher.
Derek Chauvin, the man trapped in Floyd’s death.
Litmus test for justice
And while the technical aspects are important, all eyes in the world are on what is happening outside the Minneapolis courthouse.
Floyd’s case is seen as a kind of litmus test for the US legal system, which has come under severe criticism for its apparent compliance when it comes to prosecutions against members of the security forces in cases involving members of the security forces.
“Everyone saw what happened. No one, not just in the US, but on the planet, would understand a verdict other than guilty,” he said this weekend. House Representative Karen Bass.
According to Bass, not only Derek has been involved in this trial, but also years of injustice against this community and the endemic racism that seems to exist in certain parts of the country.
Floyd’s death violent protests last year across the country with deaths, injuries and a lot of damage. The fear is that if he is found innocent, something the same or worse will happen again.
In addition, the spirits are very heated by the death 10 days ago of another African American, Daunte Wright, during a meeting with the police in the same city.
In this case, a uniformed woman shot Wright for not following her orders when she stopped him because his plates had expired.
Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo testifies at the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin charged with George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.
Everyone has seen what happened. No one, not only in the US, but on the planet, would understand a verdict other than guilty ¨: House Representative Karen Bass
Since then, there have been serious riots in the area, which spread to other cities over the weekend. And his funeral will be next Thursday, which could coincide with the jury’s verdict.
Likewise, the death of a 13-year-old Hispanic boy who was killed in a shooting with the Chicago police has caused a major scandal.
The protests continue after Daunte Wright’s death by Minneapolis police.
Generally, the nerves are on edge after a series of firearms killings in various cities of the country in recent weeks.
The last of them this Saturday when a 19-year-old man murdered eight people in Indianapolis and whose case rekindled discussion about the carrying of weapons and their easy access.
The situation is clear a huge challenge for President Joe Biden that during the campaign he pledged to push through laws and pass measures that would make it possible to control men in uniform and ensure transparency in the processes.
But now it will be he who faces a possible popular uprising when Derek Chauvin is found innocent.
SERGIO GÓMEZ MASERI
EL TIEMPO correspondent
Washington
And Twitter @ sergom68
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