What You Should Know About The Derek Chauvin Murder Trial
Cell phone video captured harrowing images of officer Chauvin (depicted on the right) pinning George Floyd (depicted on the left) to the ground with his knee for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. Source: Jane Rosenberg / Reuters
George Floyd died after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him on the ground with his knee, sparking protests around the world. Now, ten months later, arguments in the momentous trial that will determine Chauvin’s legal consequences are coming to a close. Chauvin faces charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third degree murder and second degree manslaughter.
The prosecution presented their case for almost two weeks, calling over 20 witnesses to the stand. The first of these witnesses were those who actually saw Floyd’s death in person — including the teenager who filmed the incident and an off duty firefighter who begged to give Floyd medical attention. Most of these witnesses shared how bad they felt knowing they were not able to help and the guilt they felt due to not doing more in the moment.
One of their key witnesses was Courteney Ross, Floyd’s girlfriend. She introduced a key element of the defense’s case by sharing openly about her and Floyd’s addiction to opioids. She testified that both of them had originally gotten addicted to the pills when using them to aid in chronic pain, even detailing the time Floyd had overdosed. Prosecutors said this could indicate that Floyd would have built some tolerance to the drugs. Ross also provided personal stories about Floyd and her relationship with him, sharing memories of how they met and their first kiss.
The prosecution team also invited multiple police officers and emergency responders on to the stand to denounce Chauvin’s actions. The Minneapolis Police Chief testified that what Chauvin did was against protocol. The head of the department’s homicide unit testified that the restraint was not necessary in the situation. Finally, Lt. Johnny Mercil, the person who teaches the officers how to use force properly said they did not teach officers the neck hold Chauvin used to pin Floyd.. The officers’ testimony were especially important given the usual police response to officer misconduct, which is known as the ‘Blue Wall of Silence.’ More often than not, officers are in silent support of each other and do not admit a mistake was made. This case broke that silence with damning testimony from multiple officers.
The prosecution also called multiple medical experts to the stand. The defense’s case lies mostly in the conclusion that Floyd died from other factors, such as a drug overdose. The prosecution contends Floyd’s death was a direct result of Chauvin’s actions. They called on multiple experts to testify that Floyd’s heart and lungs stopped due to the lack of oxygen caused by Chauvin’s restraint on his neck. However, one medical expert, the forensic pathologist who actually performed the autopsy, was at the end of this long line and did not align with previous testimonies. Instead, he pointed to the drugs that were found in the toxicology report. The report showed both methamphetamine and fentanyl present in Floyd’s system. Tests also showed underlying heart disease. The defense used both of these revelations to build their case and refute the charges.
The defense’s case was much shorter, taking only two days and calling only seven witnesses. One of their key witnesses was an expert who teaches officers how to use force properly. In contradiction to the officers from the prosecution case, this expert testified that the neck restraint was justified. The other big piece of testimony came from the defense’s medical expert. He testified that Floyd’s death could not yet be classified as a homicide. He said Floyd could have died from a sudden death from a cardiac arrhythmia due to his prior hearth issues and drug usage. Chauvin himself did not testify.
If convicted, Chauvin could set a new standard of consequences for police use of force. The closing arguments will begin Monday.