Derek Chauvin trial megathread (SENTENCED TO 22.5 YEARS IN PRISON)

[Alben Barkley]

He’s probably gonna get off.

[Alben Barkley]

Mistrial is the worst case scenario now I think. Before I thought he’d probably get off. Now I don’t see how all 12 jurors could possibly vote not guilty for all charges. I think guilty for the manslaughter charge at least is the most likely scenario.

[Alben Barkley]

The defense’s argument is absolute s—t, bordering on incoherent. I went in expecting him to get off. Now I’ll be stunned if he isn’t found guilty.

[Alben Barkley]

The defense’s argument is absolute s—t, bordering on incoherent. I went in expecting him to get off. Now I’ll be stunned if he isn’t found guilty.

Agreed, I was sure Chauvin will get off but Eric Nelson has come amateurish this whole trial. Still, you can not downplay the level of stereotypes and racial tropes have on everyday life and how it can blind us from the obvious. 60/40 Guilty verdict.

I don’t think he’s gonna get off completely no matter what. Hung jury/mistrial at worst. And for the manslaughter charge at least, I think the odds of an outright guilty verdict are higher than 60/40.

[Alben Barkley]

Here’s why I think mistrial, while possible, is probably not the most likely outcome: There is a LOT of pressure on jurors to go along with the majority. And I’m guessing the majority is going to think he’s guilty in this case. There may be one or two holdouts, but probably they will ultimately be convinced to vote guilty, at least on one or more of the lesser charges. That’s what happened in the OJ trial, but in reverse (the guilty holdouts were swayed to vote not guilty). It’s rare you have holdouts stubborn enough to hang the jury, and even more rare (probably never) that it’s like 12 Angry Men when a lone juror manages to convince the other eleven to change their minds.

Also note that, while they are technically supposed to make their decision based only on certain things, in reality a jury can discuss anything behind closed doors and vote however they want for any reason. So let’s say you have one guy who’s not sure he’s guilty, but the other jurors start talking about how it will probably start riots if he gets off; that could be a factor that sways him even though it’s not “supposed” to. It’s kind of like jury nullification but in reverse. In any case, there’s nothing stopping jurors from ignoring the law and voting based on other factors, which can range from idealistic convictions about justice to just being tired and wanting to go home.

[Alben Barkley]

"If you can talk, you can breathe" will become the white conservative's "Hands up, don't shoot!"; and I already see this lining up perfectly with the riots and backlash from a likely hung jury/not guilty.

We've been slowly descending toward chaos since 2016, why do any of you think this will work out well this time?

1. Just in 2019, Amber Guyger was found guilty and sentenced 10 years in a case that was maybe even less clear-cut than this one. In TEXAS. So clearly cops can be found guilty in particularly egregious cases, and especially given how many cops testified against Chauvin, it’s not looking good for him.

2. You cited the racial make-up of the jury, assuming all whites even in a place like Minneapolis are racist I guess, yet 4 of the jurors are black. You really think they will all vote NOT guilty? Of course not. Mistrial is absolutely Chauvin’s best possible outcome. Otherwise the defense wouldn’t have bothered to already motion for a mistrial over Maxine Waters’s dumb comments; THEY think it’s likely he’ll be convicted!

3. The defense’s arguments were crap. They claimed it wasn’t excessive use of force; countless cops said otherwise. They claimed Chauvin didn’t even kill him; both autopsies concluded it was a homicide and the testimony of that doctor pretty decisively proved he was asphyxiated. No other expert testimony was remotely as convincing.

[Alben Barkley]

He is 10000% being found guilty if they’re done already.

Former Hennepin County Public Defender on MSNBC agrees. She even thinks he’ll be found guilty on all charges.

[Alben Barkley]

I'd say most Republicans support giving Chauvin prison time to some degree

Yeah, even Trump denounced him. And a bunch of cops. The blatant brutality in this case obvious to everyone with eyes to see made it a bit less controversial than some of the others I think.

[Alben Barkley]

I really thought he was gonna walk going into this, and even until now wasn’t sure they’d get him on 2nd degree murder. Wow.

[Alben Barkley]

No possible out for him on Appeal

They’ll try, and use Maxine Waters as part of it. But it won’t hold up.

[Alben Barkley]

So the mob gets its pound of flesh. Good for civil strife at least.

A murderer was found guilty of murder. Good for America and the justice system.

[Alben Barkley]

Well, I guess I was wrong. Pleasantly surprised.

Red MA avatar doomers being wrong? Since when has that been surprising???

[Alben Barkley]

This was the right decision, but hopefully our cities won't turn into flames tonight(though I worry it will still happen).

Highly doubt it, people looked really happy outside the courthouse. There won’t be protests, and therefore no cover/excuse for people to loot/riot. Most who did that weren’t actual protesters who gave a s—t about justice anyway, just opportunists. Without the actual protesters out there in droves, they won’t be able to get away with it.

[Alben Barkley]

https://twitter.com/AlexNBCNews/status/1384619869119918083?s=20

Good grief. Retire pls

She clearly misspoke with the “sacrificing your life” part; the intent was not wrong.

[Alben Barkley]

Mayor frey with a pelosi-esque take.

What the hell are they doing?

https://twitter.com/MayorFrey/status/1384619597576474625

David Axelrod joins in on the insensitive takes.

This really is strange. Democrats should probably just stop tweeting if this is the best they can come up with. Pelosi speaking off the cuff and it coming out clumsy I can understand, but someone deliberated over these words before publishing them to the world. Again I kind sort of see what Frey is trying to get at, but the implication that Floyd’s death was in any way positive is yikes even if not really intended that way. And Axelrod’s statement is just awkward and cringe. Almost like a dad joke gone wrong.

[Alben Barkley]

Since much of the left and Atlas seems to think Bill Clinton is some closet racist who signed the 1994 crime bill to make the police kill more black men, I'd just like to point out he put out a very nice statement on today's verdict.

https://twitter.com/BillClinton/status/1384645798537871361

He also pretty strongly condemned the killing of Amadou Diallo (guy with wallet shot 41 times) when he was president and questioned the jury letting the cops off.

[Alben Barkley]

30 years would have been preferrable, but I'd be ok with this as long as he actually has to sit in the full sentence.

He probably won't but it's still, as BRTD said, the longest sentence ever for a cop acting on the job.