Chauvin Verdict In

[FlightlessDuck]

This whole jury influenced by politics trope thing reminds me of an old conspiracy theory about OJ's jury and Rodney King.

 

[redrosesix]

It may not effectively matter. I'm guessing the judge will hand out concurrent sentences.

We have concurrent sentencing in Canada -- but if there are more charges it makes a big difference in sentencing and a huge difference when trying to get probation. Personally, I think the fact that Chauvin is a police officer is going to make the biggest difference in his sentence.

 

[person]

We have concurrent sentencing in Canada -- but if there are more charges it makes a big difference in sentencing and a huge difference when trying to get probation. Personally, I think the fact that Chauvin is a police officer is going to make the biggest difference in his sentence.

As in, he of all people should have known better...

 

[bcla]

Gotcha. In Canada, jurors aren't supposed to watch TV or use the internet at all during trials. They can't talk to anyone about the trial, even family. People take this rule quite seriously -- I've been a juror and basically all we talked about was the fact that lunch wasn't included.

I was on a couple of juries. It wasn't considered a high profile enough so there was never anything about avoiding media because there was never any kind of high profile to the cases. Once I just drove to get lunch and it happened to be at the same intersection where the alleged drunk driving crash occurred. Another time we were on a civil jury where we had gotten to the actual damage awards to plaintiff but still needed to decide the punitive damage awards. I was listening to the the radio on the way to the courthouse and listening to a music station. Then there was a quick note about a jury in my county awarding a certain amount of money and I knew it was our case. I turned off the radio immediately. Of course there was nothing other than stuff I already knew about the case, so it didn't really affect anything.

During one of my trials we talked about the plaintiffs' attorney, but not really about the case. More about the suits he was wearing and also gossiping about the clerk. We never really talked about the case.

 

[SarahC97]

I'd like to bring your question back up before the thread gets locked. I'm not surprised there were three counts, but I don't understand how he could be convicted of all three. He only killed GF once. If they had assault (or other physical charge), I could understand.

I'm simply asking about the legalities. I am not surprised he was found guilty (I thought he deserved at least murder 3). I just don't understand how one death = two murder charges and a manslaughter.

Mr. Chauvin was found guilty of:

1) causing the death of a human being, without intent, while committing or attempting to commit an assault (second-degree murder);

2) unintentionally causing a death by committing an act that is eminently dangerous to other persons while exhibiting a depraved mind, with reckless disregard for human life (third-degree murder);

3) and creating an unreasonable risk, by consciously taking the chance of causing death or great bodily harm to someone else (manslaughter).

Neither murder charge required the jury to find that Mr. Chauvin intended to kill Mr. Floyd. Nor did the manslaughter charge. The jury could have determined a state of mind for Mr. Chauvin (or “mens rea”) that would cover all three charges.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Look it up. It's in today's Newsweek or other websites. I got points last time I posted a link the webmaster saw as a political website.

Google "alan dershowitz" in News.

A big thumbs up

 

[bcla]

We have concurrent sentencing in Canada -- but if there are more charges it makes a big difference in sentencing and a huge difference when trying to get probation. Personally, I think the fact that Chauvin is a police officer is going to make the biggest difference in his sentence.

Ever see the Spike Lee movie Malcolm X? There was a scene where Malcolm and his buddy in crime were sentenced to "concurrent sentences" for 14 counts and he passed out, but found out it meant served at the same time.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Ever see the Spike Lee movie Malcolm X? There was a scene where Malcolm and his buddy in crime were sentenced to "concurrentH sentences" for 14 counts and he passed out, but found out it meant served at the same time.

He has been out on bail

 

[redrosesix]

This case is so gut-wrenching and yet at the same time it barely scratches the surface of much bigger society issues at hand. There's bigger society issues and underlying disadvantage circumstances at play here. Unless those issues are addressed, we'll continue the same pattern. This case is truly a no-win scenario for all involved. Change should be happening before, not after the fact and loss of life. We are better than this. We should be striving to do better continuously and constantly. A greater emphasis needs to be placed on humanity, equality, and kindness.

.
Agreed. It was almost an easy case because it was so obvious, even for someone in another country where laws are different. but today I watched a video of a 73 year old grandmother with dementia have her arm broken and shoulder dislocated by a police officer because of suspicion of shoplifting (stupid autoplay on YouTube -- I usually try to avoid videos like that).

but I think my point is that until the police are all following the rules when dealing with all people, things haven't really changed. That incident happened months ago but I guess nobody cares because she was old and she wasn't killed -- just not dramatic or trending enough. But if bad cops can get away with things like that, they can get away with anything. I personally like the police, so it offends me greatly when I see them behaving so horribly.

 

[daisy2013]

As a Texas HS student my daughter is required to take a class on how to interact with police officers in the state. This is a new graduation requirement for the class of '22. I am very happy TX passed this as a law.

Parents of black children, myself included, have taught their children how to interact with police officers. It doesn’t save them. Even when they do as they are told, they are more likely to get killed than their white counterparts. The police need to be trained in overcoming their implicit bias.

 

[redrosesix]

Ever see the Spike Lee movie Malcolm X? There was a scene where Malcolm and his buddy in crime were sentenced to "concurrent sentences" for 14 counts and he passed out, but found out it meant served at the same time.

haha I forgot about that.

 

[summermom2]

I am not an American but I am glad he was found guilty. Because if it went the other way I can not imagine how bad the riots would be in your country.

 

[bcla]

He has been out on bail

Not any more. He's going straight to prison.

 

[daisy2013]

Not any more. He's going straight to prison.

Yup. That’s when it sunk in for him that he was ^#+%^

 

[redrosesix]

Parents of black children, myself included, have taught their children how to interact with police officers. It doesn’t save them. Even when they do as they are told, they are more likely to get killed than their white counterparts. The police need to be trained in overcoming their implicit bias.

Indigenous parents do the same, but in Canada just as in the US, indigenous people are most likely to be killed by police officers. But nobody should have to worry about that -- the police should just be doing their job (and not the judge's job, or the executioner's job). Community policing seems to have made a big difference especially on the reserves near me. Like Robert Peel (who the Bobbies are named after) said "the police are the public and the public are the police" Many First Nations had their own sort of police force hundreds of years before settlers arrived. They didn't hand out sentences either -- that was left to the Elders -- so it's a good fit. I know that policing is different in Canada and the UK, but this seems to be what Americans are saying they would prefer.

IMO this was a rare case where I wonder why the police officer was even in that career. It's like he had no regard for the law whatsoever, especially if the rumours about their prior relationship are true and he just used this incident as an opportunity to kill somebody he already hated.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Hey, guess what?
I think the answer to your question might actually be "yes".

"The family says Bryant called the police for help because girls were fighting outside her house."

It really appears to be a yes, in this case. Some of the follow up video of the behavior from the police officers are horrific.

I am not an American but I am glad he was found guilty. Because if it went the other way I can not imagine how bad the riots would be in your country.

I'd be upset because it would have been a miscarriage of justice. Again. While today's verdict is only a bandaid, it's the first step in what will hopefully be actual change.

 

[redrosesix]

Yup. That’s when it sunk in for him that he was ^#+%^

Totally. It's probably one of those situations where you try to imagine what it would be like, but you never come close to what it actually feels like.