LIVE: Chauvin Trial Day 11 – Has State Eliminated Reasonable Doubt As Case Nears End?
Reasonable Doubt Before Defense Even Begins Is Bad For Conviction
Posted by Andrew Branca Monday, April 12, 2021 at 09:30am
As we enter the 11th full day of trial in this case, the state is rapidly approaching the end of its presentation for its case in chief. We are, therefore, nearing a major inflection point for this trial.
For those who may be unfamiliar with the criminal trial process, after opening statements by both sides, the state takes the first turn in presenting the jury with its case in chief, meaning its entire comprehensive argument to meet its burden to remove all reasonable doubt on the criminal charges brought against Chauvin.
These charges include second-degree murder (really, felony murder), third-degree murder (really, reckless homicide), manslaughter, and third-degree felony assault (the predicate for the felony murder charge). A more detailed overview of these criminal charges is discussed in our previous commentary and analysis, here: Chauvin Pre-Trial Day 1: 3d Degree Murder Throws Wrench Into Jury Selection Process.
After the state has finished presenting all the witnesses and evidence that they believe prove the crimes charged beyond a reasonable doubt, they rest their case, and it becomes the turn of the defense to present witnesses and evidence that they believe create a reasonable doubt.
The key is that the point at which the state rests its case is normally the high point of the prosecution’s narrative of guilt, the point at which reasonable doubt has been eliminated to the greatest degree likely to be achieved at any point in the trial. From here on the narrative presented to the jury is primarily the narrative of the defense, which is the narrative that drives an increase, not decrease, in reasonable doubt—and reasonable doubt is the key to acquittal.
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https://legalinsurrection.com/2021/04/live-chauvin-trial-day-11-has-state-eliminated-reasonable-doubt-as-case-nears-end/