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

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The security around the courthouse really is something. Armed guards out front, barbed wire and fencing....

I still have something that resembles PTSD just by viewing the riot images (and the aftermath in person) and will likely be back in Minneapolis when the verdict happens. I voted guilty but I'm expecting the ones who really started the sh!t (aka anarchist LARPing morons, and white supremacists and Boogaloo types, not local activistsand protestors) will try to start sh!t again regardless of the verdict. Luckily the authorities are prepared this time as is the National Guard.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

"George Floyd Square" was already a fairly rough area before this and I can't say I'm surprised considering what happened with CHAZ/CHOP. I don't see any reason why it can't be reopened. Keep the murals and memorials to George Floyd of course but they can still exist with the streets open. Most of the businesses in the area are open too.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

One of the jurors appointed today is a black man.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The National Guard are already deployed and patrolling Minneapolis (like tons of reports of Humvees going around), so any attempts to start riots will be a lot different this time.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

If Chavin gets off, say goodbye to these politician's political futures: Jacob Frey, Keith Ellison, Tim Walz, Michael Freeman, etc. They'll lose... The MNGOP will choose an electable nominee who can appeal to the Karens in the suburbs who fear city violence miles away and who don't want police defunded....

Dean Phillips, Angie Craig will go down as well.......

Same thing nationally with the other suburban House Dems

Frey is in an odd position where while he's seemingly easy to attack he's not really in a weak spot for reelection because he doesn't have any real credible opponents (the current roster consists of a couple of your random activist types and a former State Rep who didn't even represent Hennepin County much less Minneapolis and seems to be running out of a grudge to him after she quit the job she was hired for by the previous mayor and didn't produce any reports or anything of worth that she was hired for.) and any credible opponents kind of clowned themselves. The City Council managed to piss off all sides and none of them seem to even want to remain in city politics (several of the more prominent ones aren't even running for reelection), much less take the top job. He's probably not going to hold any office beyond Minneapolis mayor unless he can do some amazing things in his second term though.

Walz is probably fine since his approvals are high and the only thing he can control is the reaction to the verdict, and I'm expecting assholes trying to start sh!t no matter what (even if Chauvin is convicted of the most severe charge, especially the ones who now claim to control "George Floyd Square", a CHAZ/CHOP type location sectioned off from traffic that has now become a mess of crime and more murders and de facto vigilantes harassing city workers, emergency personnel and journalists. The city has said they'll only reopen it after the trial, but since they'll refuse to leave even with a stiff conviction it'll have to be cleared. Luckily Walz and the National Guard are prepared this time. My prediction is regardless of the verdict we'll see attempts at unrest but the agitators will get curb stomped by the National Guard and Walz will retain support.

Ellison could be in trouble because his office is actually running the prosecution, but considering type of candidate the MN GOP is likely to nominate and that he won't be as controversial on balance as in 2018...probably still an uphill battle no matter what.

Freeman is obviously going to retire in 2022 anyway, so he's moot, but I'm still disappointed Minnesota has such steep signature requirement for recalls (which I signed to recall him) because he should go now.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

For the record despite this being such a close to home event, I don't intend to post in this thread much or participate for a couple big reasons, one is that it's not something I want to deal with much because it brings up PTSD-like aftershocks from last summer and horrifying events that hit close to home. Another is that it already appears that a good chunk of the posts will be nothing but people just doomsaying about how if Chauvin is acquitted this will show the total doomed state of the American legal system, etc. and while I don't disagree with the sentiment, it's not the sort of thing I just want to read pages over and over and over again and just flood myself with negativity. This is actually a big part of why I was so harsh to the Doomers pushing the inevitable Trump narrative and still am, they were not only wrong but what they did was extremely harmful to mental health across the board of the forum and was stated by many posters as why they took breaks...legal dooming is just going to have similar impacts with nothing productive resulting.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Verdict has been reached.

I'm optimistic. An acquittal wouldn't happen this quickly and it can't be a hung jury this soon either.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

My God I am so relieved. I was wondering what Minneapolis would look like when I returned in a week or two.

I intend to return to a healing community, and hope I can do my part to help.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Just saw Chauvin handcuffed and led out of the courtroom. So satisfying. F[inks] you asshole.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

NYT data on likely jailtime:

https://twitter.com/Yamiche/status/1384615580846731266

Minnesota also has a law that felonies that are committed in view of a minor are grounds to add years to the sentence. A 9-year old girl viewed this, so that can be taken into account.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

https://twitter.com/keithedwards/status/1384617893128704003

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A Wikipedia article title has been updated: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_George_Floyd

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

A Wikipedia article title has been updated: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_George_Floyd

What was it previously? Death of George Floyd?

Killing of George Floyd. It was originally Death of George Floyd but in the next day was updated.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1384626851511951360

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Chauvin in his new uniform.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Today's Star Tribune front page:


And today's editorial cartoon:

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Make an example of him, he deserves the max for his callous brutality.

No.

Sentencing an individual defendant should never be about making an example of a defendant.  Never.  Criminal penalties should be sufficient to deter others, but they should not be handed out to make an example of someone.

Is Derek Chauvin's more callously brutal than the shooting of 3 year old Mekhi James in Chicago?  Or 1 year old Darrell Gardner in Brooklyn?  When we find their killers should we make national examples of them,, and then sentence them to Life Imprisonment (even if they turn out to be under age 18)?  Were the actions of whomever killed these infants not callously brutal?

Chauvin deserves to be sentenced to whatever his conviction merits.  Aggravating and mitigating factors ought to be considered, and the judge ought to sentence him as the facts say.  He should not, however, receive "the max" just because lawless mobs demand it and allow the implicit threat of violence in the event that the sentence is not sufficient for the lawless mob.  (Indeed, mobs who engage in violence at the result of this sentencing, or any other, should be met with the full force of law enforcement at the FIRST act of illegal violence, but that's another story.)  Derek Chauvin has the right to be judged and sentenced in the same manner as any other defendant.  Those of you who do not believe that are unfit for public office, and I hope that those of you that believe this are never elected or appointed to any political or governmental position in America.  Making an example out of people is a wrong concept, period.

Couldn’t agree more!

Thing is though there are A TON of aggravating factors that could apply to increase Chauvin's sentence. Here's a full list I saw someone compile of all applicable factors under Minnesota law.

- crime was committed with three or more active co-participants

- crime was committed in presence of children, and the child(ren) witnessed the crime

- defendant acted as a police officer and used his police license to facilitate the crime

- defendant displayed particular cruelty (knowing victim was handcuffed and in physical and emotional distress)

- defendant knew or should have known that Floyd was unable to breathe and then went unconscious

- defendant committed crime despite pleas from eyewitnesses that he was killing the victim

- defendant continued with the crime after victim went unconscious

- defendant showed disregard for Floyd's life

- defendant impeded efforts by others to provide medical assistance

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Make an example of him, he deserves the max for his callous brutality.

No.

Sentencing an individual defendant should never be about making an example of a defendant.  Never.  Criminal penalties should be sufficient to deter others, but they should not be handed out to make an example of someone.

Is Derek Chauvin's more callously brutal than the shooting of 3 year old Mekhi James in Chicago?  Or 1 year old Darrell Gardner in Brooklyn?  When we find their killers should we make national examples of them,, and then sentence them to Life Imprisonment (even if they turn out to be under age 18)?  Were the actions of whomever killed these infants not callously brutal?

Chauvin deserves to be sentenced to whatever his conviction merits.  Aggravating and mitigating factors ought to be considered, and the judge ought to sentence him as the facts say.  He should not, however, receive "the max" just because lawless mobs demand it and allow the implicit threat of violence in the event that the sentence is not sufficient for the lawless mob.  (Indeed, mobs who engage in violence at the result of this sentencing, or any other, should be met with the full force of law enforcement at the FIRST act of illegal violence, but that's another story.)  Derek Chauvin has the right to be judged and sentenced in the same manner as any other defendant.  Those of you who do not believe that are unfit for public office, and I hope that those of you that believe this are never elected or appointed to any political or governmental position in America.  Making an example out of people is a wrong concept, period.

Couldn’t agree more!

Thing is though there are A TON of aggravating factors that could apply to increase Chauvin's sentence. Here's a full list I saw someone compile of all applicable factors under Minnesota law.

- crime was committed with three or more active co-participants

- crime was committed in presence of children, and the child(ren) witnessed the crime

- defendant acted as a police officer and used his police license to facilitate the crime

- defendant displayed particular cruelty (knowing victim was handcuffed and in physical and emotional distress)

- defendant knew or should have known that Floyd was unable to breathe and then went unconscious

- defendant committed crime despite pleas from eyewitnesses that he was killing the victim

- defendant continued with the crime after victim went unconscious

- defendant showed disregard for Floyd's life

- defendant impeded efforts by others to provide medical assistance

Sure, but you can give him 10-19 years just on the merits of the case.

Which is pretty mild considering the max sentence is 40. Based on the above he could very well get closer to that than 10.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I know my parents sure wouldn't be happy if they saw a video of me smothering someone under my knee like that.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

22+ years!

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The judge handled things perfectly by the book the whole trial. There were no grounds for leniency, and I'm not sure there were any grounds for going over the standard sentence either. Very little in the way of grounds for appeal here.

I do like that he called attention to the 22 page memorandum.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

This is the longest sentence ever given in US history for a crime committed by an on-duty police officer.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

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.

 That's pretty pathetic when you think about all the corrupt cops who have lived.

"On duty" is the clear distinction here. Most sentences for police corruption involve technically off-duty behavior.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Chauvin may be getting a plea deal with federal prosecutors: https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2021/06/28/derek-chauvin-closing-in-on-federal-plea-deal-sources-tell-wcco