Defence arguments for Derek Chauvin in George Floyd’s murder trial - BBC News

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's defence team began to make their case on day 12 of the George Floyd murder trial.

An expert in use-of-force testified that Chauvin's actions towards Floyd were "justified" - here are the three key arguments the defence is using to try and win the case.

#GeorgeFloyd #BBCNews

[andrewsmith]

I don’t know a single cop who thinks it’s reasonable to kneel on someone’s neck for almost 9 minutes, and I come from a Policing family.

[HarryBinstead]

It amazes me that no ones mentioning the fact he was shouting "I can't breath" before he was put on the ground... seems like that would be an important factor...

[acg]

I think every sane person can agree there is no need to kneel on somebody's neck for 9 minutes when he is handcuffed, on the ground (face down) and you have 3 officers there to keep him down...

[jpyoung]

Spend more time in this than they ever did for the grooming gangs

[TheGuy]

If kneeling on an unarmed and non-resisting man's neck for more than 5 minutes is "objectively reasonable" then maybe the American police should reconsider their norms of reasonableness.

[stevet]

I only ask this... after Floyd’s final spasms of being, why do 3 cops continue to maintain holding down a silent, lifeless, motionless body even after EMS arrives? If EMS arrived 15-20 minutes later, would they STILL have been pressing his dead body into the asphalt?

[leem]

Wow, that's some selective editing right there!! I've been listening to the case on and off and trust me, this doesn't tell a balanced picture!!

[shaytal]

Does that mean, someone like me, healthy and not abusing drugs don't need to breathe?
Wow, who would have known?

[mizan]

Could they have not helped him up and let him breathe?

[stephenmurphy]

Kneeling on someone’s neck for nearly ten minutes is not necessary force.

[joermnyc]

Place someone in a stress position for almost 10 minutes, then take their blood pressure. It's not going to be normal either.

[danielmcquoid]

Looks like people in the comments haven't been watching the full trial, or don't understand what the case is about. The defence have had field days on cross-examination of paid state witnesses, but the media only reports on the prosecution 'wins'. Prosecution should expect to have plenty of wins during the presentation of their case, but star witnesses have been forced into introducing reasonable doubt before defence even started presenting.

- Floyd's friend pleading the 5th because he might incriminate himself into admitting third degree murder for supplying Floyd with fentanyl/meth speedball drugs is hilariously damning for the case. Reasonable doubt that the reason Floyd died was because of Chauvin.
- Expert police witnesses being forced into admitting that kneeling on the back is a trained restraint technique, and that there have been times when he has executed ground control restraint in a similar way to Chauvin until paramedics showed - especially with a hostile crowd present - up shows Chauvin was not acting out-of-order. Reasonable doubt that use of force was premeditated or excessive.
- Expert police witness was forced to assert that Chauvin was entitled to use a taser (a more potentially lethal method of restraint) given the bodycam footage showing Floyd kicking and resisting arrest. Chauvin electing to use restraint techniques showed an attempt at de-escalation and the opposite of an attempt to use unreasonable force. Reasonable doubt of intent to murder.
- Floyd was found to have a 3-fold lethal dose of fentanyl in his system. Defence forced prosecution-called doctor who noted Floyd died due to lack of oxygen to admit that the primary reason fentanyl is so deadly is because it destroys respiratory process. Reasonable doubt that Chauvin's actions caused Floyd's death due to lack of oxygen..
- Another expert doctor was forced by defence to admit that, had come to examine Floyd in the state his corpse was in he would have concluded respiratory-related heart attack. There was no evidence of any sustained pressure caused by Chauvin's actions, and the only reason he was concluding what he concluded was because he watched a video. Reasonable doubt that Chauvin's actions caused the death.
- The defence played a video from a different bodycam perspective where, whilst an onlooker's camera showed 'kneeling on the neck', in actuality he was kneeling on the shoulder blade. This caused the prosecution to change their tact from 'kneeling on neck' to 'kneeling on neck OR back', kneeling on the back being a very acceptable restraint procedure, wiping out the whole 'kneeling on neck' argument. Reasonable doubt for excessive, premeditated force.
- The defence played a video which sounds like Floyd is saying 'I ate too many drugs'. Whether he said it or not (the sound was quite blurred), this adds more reasonable doubt.

The defence has only just begun their case, and already they have enough from the state prosecutor's own paid witnesses to introduce enough reasonable doubt to totally acquit Chauvin without any charges. Unfortunately, the media has not done a good job at all of showing these defence wins - they're conditioning you all to believe the selectively-edited prosecution successes so that you're all outraged when the case is concluded as the opposite of what you've been led to believe the outcome will be. There will be plenty of justification behind the Jury's decision, but you'll all think it's because of racism rather than all the facts that you're unaware of. You're puppets of the media. We're now at the stage whereby the idea of public mob outrage might even impact a trial in a court of law, because jury members are scared that making a decision will put targets on their backs and start riots because the media has hyped everyone up.

[dendennis]

You won't find Justice in a unjust Society. Dr. Martin Luther King

[ajaz]

That state attorney was very intelligent and well prepared. He ripped defences experts apart.

[rosewhite---]

What I'd like to know is why was he dragged out of the car and wedged up against the wheel?

[happy]

A nine year old can define discipline vs evil

[ArchmageOfAnarchy]

"That level of resistance"

Yeah, that being handcuffed and having his neck crushed is like decking a cop really

[congoleseyouthnetworkc.y.n]

Humanity eh!
How is kneeling on someone’s neck not a use of force.

[lorir]

Overdose or suffocated No-one was allowed to do CPR even after repeatedly pointing out he was not breathing. Common sense. All this bs in trial is a ridiculous waste of time. Look at that cops actions.

[LimaJayaSRC]

There's special place in hell for lawyers..