At least four potential jurors dismissed Monday said they couldn’t be impartial. One said he was “appalled” by the video of the arrest. Another said he was an educator who works with minority families and could not presume Chauvin’s innocence, while another said he feared for his family’s safety.
From what I see the chance of Chauvin getting a fair trial in Minneapolis is remote. A juror who votes to acquit is likely to get doxed and mobs have already demonstrated their willingness to kill and destroy property. Fear of violent retribution is clearly reasonable and local officials have not been willing or able to protect life and property in the past:
By early June, violence in the Twin Cities metropolitan region had resulted in at least 2 deaths,[28] 604 arrests, and upwards of $500 million in damage to approximately 1,500 properties, the second-most destructive period of local unrest in United States history, after the 1992 Los Angeles riots. George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul - Wikipedia
My opinion is that having a fair trial in Minneapolis is impossible. If Chauvin is found guilty, is it because only jurors who have already secretly decided to convict are willing to serve?
The problem for the defense is that the video is self-evident. 2nd degree murder - done. The trial is literally a waste of time. I know that is not how our system works, but some things are not that complicated.
The problem is when the defense attorney gives his final argument with Chauvin’s knee at the same position on the attorney’s neck in a police-approved hold.
At the same time the defense can show that the death is entirely consistent with a lethal level of fentanyl found in Floyd’s bloodstream.
The $27 million appears to be a bribe to reduce riot damage if Chauvin is rightly found not guilty. It also helps to further poison public opinion against Chauvin
None of the exculpatory evidence has received much time in the mainstream media, and there may be a good case for defamation suits if Chauvin is found not guilty.
No love lost for that one. He should have never been a cop. Equally disgusting is a potential juror fearing for their safety. Garbage people on both sides of this fiasco.
The trial should be moved to a small town far from Minneapolis in my opinion.
Having the trial in Minneapolis now would be like trying Black man for a death of a White man in the Jim Crow south. Imagine weeks of Klan protests that had the support of local authorities. Does any one doubt that jurors who vote the “wrong” way are likely to face retribution?
The massive civil settlement further confirms that jurors can expect no protection from city authorities if they vote to acquit.
I have not followed every motion in this trial, but I would guess that a change of venue was requested early on. And then it becomes the discretion of the Judge to determine if the press coverage of the case makes it viable. My guess is that this case is so well known that moving the trail didn’t really make sense.
Since the ME’s report does not list the fentanyl and methamphetamine as cause of death, the defense would not have a leg to stand on if they tried that line.
All the defense have to do is raise reasonable doubt. It is up to the prosecution to prove that the neck hold was the cause of death.
The defense attorney speaks to the jury while in the same hold that was used on Floyd. He can also point to the government autopsy that found no damage to the neck and no life-threatening injuries.
In addition to the high fentanyl levels, Floyd was COVID-positive, had hypertension and heart problems, and had blood cells consistent with a sickle-cell trait. All of these things could have contributed to this death.
The real question is if any evidence from the defense will matter to a jury that would reasonably fear for their property and safety if they vote to acquit.
And you know what is going to happen. Both sides will roll out as many medical experts as they need to prove their case. It really amazes me that so many Doctors have a price tag that will allow them to say anything you want.
