Officer who knelt of Floyd's neck to have charge upgraded, three others to be charged: report

[mystery-ak]

Officer who knelt of Floyd's neck to have charge upgraded, three others to be charged: report
By Marty Johnson - 06/03/20 02:09 PM EDT

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) is expected to upgrade the charge against Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes, to second-degree murder, the Star Tribune reports.

Ellison is will also reportedly charge Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane — the other officers who were at the scene of Floyd's death – with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

Chauvin was initially arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter on Friday by the Hennepin County attorney's office.

DEVELOPING

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/500949-chauvins-charges-upped-to-second-degree-murder-three-other-officers

[PeteS in CA]

1. Keith Ellison has taken over the case. His experience in criminal law is thin, and experience as a prosecutor is approximately zero. The chance he'll make a clown college look august is high, IMO.

2. I have seen the threads about the conflicting autopsies, neither of which could be called "independent", IMO. Similarly, I've seen the threads about Floyd having health issues, drugs "in his system", and about his resisting arrest when he was in the police vehicle (something I posted some days ago as having probably happened. None of those change two basic facts.

First, the use of the kneeling-on-neck maneuver was contrary to MPD policy, and there was zero excuse for sustaining that maneuver LONG after Floyd had stopped resisting. Especially since two other MPD officers were kneeling elsewhere on Floyd's body, restricting/preventing Floyd's ability to resume resistance. As former police officer Dan Bongino said in a video commentary, when the person being arrested stops fighting, the fight is over and maneuvers like what Chauvin applied should be released.

Second, whatever the medical fine details of the mechanism(s) of Floyd's death, Chauvin's 8 minutes restricting Floyd's breathing and other stresses from Chauvin's action were the proximate cause of Floyd's death. Had Chauvin released Floyd when Floyd stopped resisting, George Floyd would very likely be alive today.

None of the above is commentary on the protests-riots.

[corbe]

   If they charged every f'in Whitey in America with depraved indifference or something similar AND gave the Blacks reparations, it wouldn't matter, they'd find something to bitch/riot and loot about, perhaps popeyes runs out of chicken sandwiches and again our cities would burn. 
   I'm pizzed that this has gone on this long.  Someone needs to put their big boy panties on and fix this $hit.

[DB]

1. Keith Ellison has taken over the case. His experience in criminal law is thin, and experience as a prosecutor is approximately zero. The chance he'll make a clown college look august is high, IMO.

2. I have seen the threads about the conflicting autopsies, neither of which could be called "independent", IMO. Similarly, I've seen the threads about Floyd having health issues, drugs "in his system", and about his resisting arrest when he was in the police vehicle (something I posted some days ago as having probably happened. None of those change two basic facts.

First, the use of the kneeling-on-neck maneuver was contrary to MPD policy, and there was zero excuse for sustaining that maneuver LONG after Floyd had stopped resisting. Especially since two other MPD officers were kneeling elsewhere on Floyd's body, restricting/preventing Floyd's ability to resume resistance. As former police officer Dan Bongino said in a video commentary, when the person being arrested stops fighting, the fight is over and maneuvers like what Chauvin applied should be released.

Second, whatever the medical fine details of the mechanism(s) of Floyd's death, Chauvin's 8 minutes restricting Floyd's breathing and other stresses from Chauvin's action were the proximate cause of Floyd's death. Had Chauvin released Floyd when Floyd stopped resisting, George Floyd would very likely be alive today.

None of the above is commentary on the protests-riots.

I don't know about "very likely". If he had a heart attack due to drugs and overextending himself fighting with police he could well have died in the back of the police cruiser instead. I also suspect that all the people standing around the scene were a substantial distraction for the officers involved. As long as Floyd wasn't demanding their attention by struggling they focused on the people around them because they were a potential threat too. Had there not been a crowd around them they may well have been more focused on Floyd's lack of moving/breathing. But they were distracted. And if he did die of a major heart attack he was dead when he stopped breathing and not much would have changed that after the fact.

All I'm saying is, it isn't as simple or clear cut as many would suggest.

The other major danger is the volcano is angry and must be fed...

[Right_in_Virginia]

He'll get the death penalty under the federal charges.

And then we'll never see riots again.

[corbe]

 

[DB]

A major issue with upgrading charges is it decreases the chances of conviction. And if they don't get a conviction the riots will be even worse and it will be used to "confirm" that there's no justice in this county. They create the conditions to make happen what they say is racist to confirm their claims. It is down right evil.

[roamer_1]

A major issue with upgrading charges is it decreases the chances of conviction. And if they don't get a conviction the riots will be even worse and it will be used to "confirm" that there's no justice in this county. They create the conditions to make happen what they say is racist to confirm their claims. It is down right evil.

That's right. This has to be proven in court where, unlike in the court of public opinion, the defense will have its say.