Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog
No, the George Floyd situation has not yet been resolved. Three Minneapolis police officers are still facing charges for aiding and abetting the murder of the detainee. Officer Derek Chauvin has been charged and convicted of causing his death. Chauvin was the officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes before he lost consciousness and died. The three others stood by and watched as Floyd was asphyxiated to death.
Chauvin argued at trial that Floyd had a history of heart problems and drug dependency which contributed to his death. However, they could not prove that there was anyone alive who could survive a grown man kneeling on their carotid artery for 9 minutes. Hence, he was convicted of the homicide of George Floyd.
The three men have been convicted of violating Floyd’s civil rights and two of the officers were charged with failing to intervene on Floyd’s behalf. The officers claimed that Chauvin was the lead officer on the scene and so they deferred to him for leadership. They said they were not trained to intervene on a suspect’s behalf against a police officer. However, federal prosecutors reminded them that they were, in fact, duty-bound to do so.
This upcoming trial has been filed by the State of Minnesota and alleges that the men aided and abetted the manslaughter of George Floyd. Prosecutors offered pleas to the men, but said that the pleas were rejected. Other than stating that the pleas were identical, prosecutors have not discussed the details of the agreement. Meanwhile, the three men are still awaiting sentencing on the federal charges. However, a conviction there could spell doom for their defense against the state’s charges.
Will the trial be televised?
A decision on whether to allow cameras in the courtroom is pending a decision by the judge. The Chauvin trial was televised gavel to gavel, but defense attorneys contend they may struggle to produce witnesses if the case is televised. Prosecutors, after initially opposing live feed of the Chauvin trial, appear to have changed their minds on the topic and are now supportive of cameras in the courtroom.
Since the case is a large one with a lot of headlines surrounding it, a summer of civil unrest, and a period of soul-searching, allowing the public access to the proceedings is considered a show of transparency. Since the prosecution is likely to win their case on the basis of having convicted Chauvin and having a federal conviction against the three men already, it will show the public that the system really does hold those who enforce the law accountable for abusing defenseless suspects.
Talk to a Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney Today
If you have been charged with a crime in the Chicago area, call David Freidberg, criminal defense attorney, today at (312) 560-7100 and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.
