BREAKING: Jury pronounces former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all charges in George Floyd killing
After roughly ten hours of deliberation, a 12-person jury considering charges of murder and manslaughter against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has delivered its long-awaited verdict.
What are the details?
Tuesday afternoon, the jury of five men and seven women unanimously pronounced Chauvin guilty on all three charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.
Following the proceedings, Chauvin was immediately taken into police custody. He now awaits sentencing from Judge Peter A. Cahill for each of the charges, which carry penalties of up to 40 years, 25 years, and 10 years in prison, respectively.
The actual sentencing, however, will likely be much lower since Chauvin has no prior convictions. Minnesota's sentencing guidelines recommend 12 years in prison for each murder charge and four years for a manslaughter charge. The prosecution is expected, however, to ask for sentencing enhancements.
What's the background?
While performing an arrest, Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes to restrain him while Floyd, suspected of using a counterfeit bill, begged for the officer to release him from the hold.
Floyd, who later died, was heard repeatedly saying in video of the incident, "Please, I can't breathe."
Of immense import during the trial was Floyd's manner of death. Dr. Andrew Baker, the chief medical examiner who performed an autopsy on Floyd officially determined his cause of death to be "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression."
But in the report, Baker added that significant conditions included "fentanyl intoxication" and "recent methamphetamine use," in addition to "Arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease."
What else?
News of the Floyd's death spread rapidly on social media last May and the incident immediately became a lighting rod for outrage over racial injustice and police brutality, sparking violent protests and riots across the country and around the world.
Floyd's death also reignited the Black Lives Matter movement in America and has prompted activists to call for a reckoning over alleged systemic racial oppression in the country.
The defense team is expected to appeal the convictions.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Steve Scalise takes Maxine Waters to task over her ‘incitement’: ‘I was shot because of this kind of dangerous rhetoric’
Louisiana Republican Rep. Steve Scalise said Monday that California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters' "dangerous rhetoric" is the same kind of language that led to a dangerous shooting at a 2017 GOP congressional baseball practice.
Scalise and at least five other victims were treated for gunshot wounds following what appeared to be a targeted attack on Republican lawmakers and their aides.
What happened in that shooting?
Scalise was nearly killed in a hail of gunfire when accused gunman James Hodgkinson opened fire on the practice. Hodgkinson was fatally shot by police during the attack.
Hodgkinson previously expressed extreme opposition toward the Republican Party and former President Donald Trump before opening fire on the GOP baseball practice.
From a 2017 NPR report:
The alleged shooter expressed fervent opposition to the Republican Party and called for higher taxes on the rich, in statements on social media and letters to a local newspaper. He apparently volunteered for the presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders, according to the Vermont senator, who condemned the attack.
And what did Waters say?
During a weekend appearance in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, Waters addressed the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who faces murder charges in the May death of George Floyd.
Waters insisted that people should "stay on the street" if the jury doesn't deliver a verdict to convict Chauvin on the related murder charges.
"[W]e've got to get more active," she told activists and demonstrators at the time. "[We've] got to get more confrontational. [We've] got to make sure that they know we mean business."
What's Scalise saying now?
Scalise argued that Waters' remarks were dangerously inflammatory.
On Twitter, the Louisiana Republican wrote, “Let's be clear: Maxine Waters knew her rhetoric would incite violence in Minneapolis — but she doesn't care, she just requests police escorts for herself. I was shot because of this kind of dangerous rhetoric. Where is the outrage from Dems & the media? They need to condemn this."
Let's be clear: Maxine Waters knew her rhetoric would incite violence in Minneapolis—but she doesn't care, she just… https://t.co/4RTCqyOXqE— Steve Scalise (@Steve Scalise)1618872278.0
It isn't the first time Scalise has called out dangerous rhetoric from the left.
In 2018, the congressman implored liberals and Democrats to speak up and tamp down inflammatory speech following further threats to his life.
"You look at some of the liberal rhetoric that's coming out from the left. They're encouraging and inciting — in many cases — violence. And it's got to stop," Scalise warned at the time. "In fact, liberals need to call this out. They need to speak up, just as we're speaking up saying is there's no place for it on the Republican or Democrat side. I think people on the left need to be as vocal about calling out this kind of violence."
What are the leaders in Congress saying?
Calls to censure Waters for her remarks came from both the left and right, and House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) vowed to bring action against her if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) did not.
For her part, Pelosi defended Waters' remarks, and said, "Maxine talked about confrontation in the manner of the civil rights movement. I myself think we should take our lead from the George Floyd family. They've handled this with great dignity and no ambiguity or lack of misinterpretation by the other side."
Pelosi also added that Waters should not have to apologize for the remarks.
On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) denounced Waters' speech and said that she was "trying to tilt the scales of justice with threats."
“Every single American deserves a fair trial," McConnell said. “This is sacred. You do not balance the scales of justice by trying to tip them."
Targeting Waters directly, McConnell added, “And yet, this past weekend, one Democratic House member from California took it upon herself to visit the protesters in Minneapolis. She said, 'We're looking for a guilty verdict.' Like somebody window-shopping or ordering off a menu, she's looking for a guilty verdict. If that verdict is not reached, the Congresswoman said demonstrators should not only 'stay in the streets,' 'We've gotta get more active and confrontational and make sure they know we mean business.'"
“It's harder to imagine anything more inappropriate than a member of Congress flying in from California to inform local leaders — not so subtly — that this defendant had better be found guilty or else there will be big trouble in the streets," McConnell added. “Again, so much of our nation's quest for civil rights and equal justice has been the fight to get rid — get rid — of extrajudicial violence. To get rid of rigged trials where the outcome was molded by public sentiment or angry mobs. It is beyond the pale for a sitting member of the United States Congress to look at what happened last summer and imply there should be some kind of a sequel — a sequel! — if a legal case does not unfold as she thinks it should."
Mitch McConnell SLAMS Maxine Waters over comments on trial of Derek Chauvin www.youtube.com
House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy threatens action against Maxine Waters as calls to punish her mount after she allegedly incites protesters
Calls to punish Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) have mounted after she called for protesters and activists to "get more confrontational" on Minnesota's streets if former police officer Derek Chauvin is not convicted for murder in the death of George Floyd.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) also promised to bring action against her if Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) chooses not to act.
What are the details?
During a Saturday appearance in Brooklyn Center, Waters said, "We're looking for a guilty verdict. We're looking for a guilty verdict. And we're looking to see if all of this ... that took place and has been taking place after they saw what happened to George Floyd. If nothing does not happen, then we know that we've got to not only stay in the street, but we've got to fight for justice, but I am very hopeful and I hope that we're going to get a verdict that will say 'guilty, guilty, guilty.' And if we don't, we cannot go away."
She added that activists must "stay on the street" if Chauvin is not convicted and insisted that demonstrators have to "get more active."
"[We've] got to get more confrontational," the Democratic lawmaker insisted. "[We've] got to make sure that they know we mean business."
What has been the response?
In a statement, the New York Post editorial board said that the California congresswoman was "trying to create a civil war" and that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) ought to strip Waters of her committee assignments and "move for a vote to remove Waters from office."
A lengthy op-ed added, "In supporting the second impeachment of President Trump, California Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters said he was 'inciting' his followers, and was 'trying to create a Civil War.'"
"By her own standards, Maxine Waters should be impeached and removed," the board noted.
Other notable voices included Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who said that Democrats were "actively encouraging riots & violence."
"They want to tear us apart," he added.
Democrats actively encouraging riots & violence. They want to tear us apart.“'We gotta stay on the street,' Wat… https://t.co/SdJslGdKea— Ted Cruz (@Ted Cruz)1618751756.0
Comedian and BlazeTV host Steven Crowder added, "If Trump was removed from Twitter AND Facebook for 'inciting violence' then Maxine Waters needs to be federally charged and impeached."
If Trump was removed from Twitter AND Facebook for “inciting violence” then Maxine Waters needs to be federally cha… https://t.co/9pkiiRb5fk— Steven Crowder (@Steven Crowder)1618757579.0
Attorney and columnist Kurt Schlicter added, "This is an insurrection."
This is an insurrection https://t.co/6ja9Yvh4dG— Kurt Schlichter (@Kurt Schlichter)1618752980.0
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) tweeted, "The Radical Left don't care if your towns are burning, if there's violence in your streets, or if the police are too defunded to defend their communities. As long as the Left appeases their anti-America base, their job is done."
The Radical Left don’t care if your towns are burning, if there’s violence in your streets, or if the police are to… https://t.co/J03jJ7N3eP— Rep Andy Biggs (@Rep Andy Biggs)1618752880.0
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Sunday night vowed that if Pelosi doesn't bring action against Waters, he will.
"Maxine Waters is inciting violence in Minneapolis — just as she has incited it in the past," he tweeted. "If Speaker Pelosi doesn't act against this dangerous rhetoric, I will bring action this week."
Maxine Waters is inciting violence in Minneapolis — just as she has incited it in the past. If Speaker Pelosi doesn… https://t.co/iUicQJYq3f— Kevin McCarthy (@Kevin McCarthy)1618793152.0
Ben Shapiro warns media are ‘paving the way for riots’ with their ‘skewed coverage’ of Derek Chauvin trial
Ben Shapiro, editor emeritus of the Daily Wire and lawyer, says that the media's coverage of the Derek Chauvin trial will end up causing riots.
Chauvin has been accused of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter in connection to George Floyd's May 2020 death.
His trial began last week.
What are the details?
Shapiro on Wednesday, according to the outlet, said that the media are largely "ignoring the prosecution's difficulties" and only reporting one side to the public.
"If you watch the actual Chauvin trial and then watch the media coverage of the Chauvin trial, the gap is stunning," he said. "The media are paving the way for riots by ignoring the prosecution's difficulties — and his acquittal is not a remote possibility based on those difficulties."
Pointing to a recent Washington Post headline that read, "Trial to resume after training officer says an unauthorized neck restraint was used on George Floyd," Shapiro argued that the story only served to detract from "the actual takeaway from the use-of-force expert's testimony."
Shapiro then addressed recent testimony by Los Angeles Police Sergeant Jody Stiger, a paid witness for the state, whose testimony "undercut the prosecution's case on several points during cross-examination, according to Law of Self-Defense Attorney Andrew Branca."
"The use-of-force officer admitted that Chauvin's procedure (use of body weight and pressure) was a lesser use of force than adopted in the past, that it wasn't a chokehold, that use-of-force standards change based on drug use or physical stature of a suspect, that he had personally restrained suspects until EMS arrived, that some suspects quickly regain consciousness and thus sometimes suppression is necessary despite appearances," Shapiro explained.
From the Daily Wire:
Prosecutors are attempting to make the case that Chauvin and three other officers killed Floyd through excessive use of force, while the defense alleges that Floyd's drug use and heart problems played crucial roles in Floyd's fate.
The defense is attempting to establish that Chauvin's actions, restraining Floyd with a knee on his upper body for nearly nine minutes, would not have resulted in Floyd's death without complications from those existing drug and heart problems. Prosecutors have admitted that Floyd had a history of substance abuse, but are arguing that Floyd's past drug use would have built up his immunity enough so the drugs in his system at the time of his arrest would not have had a major effect on him.
Prosecutors, in order to convict Chauvin on the more serious second-degree murder charge, will be tasked with proving that Chauvin was in the process of committing felony assault on Floyd during the detainment.
As previously reported by Blaze Media:
In order to prove the second-degree murder charge, prosecutors will need to prove that Chauvin was committing felony assault on Floyd, which will require proof that his actions in subduing Floyd were objectively unreasonable and outside the scope of his authority as a police officer. They will also have to prove that his actions were a "substantial causal factor" in Floyd's death. Alternately, the jury will be permitted to consider lesser charges of third-degree murder, if jurors find that Chauvin's actions were reckless and caused Floyd's death, or manslaughter, if they find that his actions were negligent and caused Floyd's death.
Chauvin's attorneys have indicated that they intend to argue two separate points to the jury. First, they intend to argue that Chauvin's actions in detaining Floyd were reasonable in the context of the full circumstances. Also, they intend to argue that Floyd either contributed to or caused his own death by swallowing a large quantity of fentanyl in order to prevent officers from finding it during his arrest. The autopsy report on Floyd's death blamed his death on "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression" but did note that fentanyl intoxication and recent methamphetamine use may have made his death more likely.
Three other officers who were involved in Floyd's death have also been charged criminally and are awaiting trial, which is currently scheduled to begin in August 2021.
www.theblaze.com
freebeacon.com
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