I have not been watching the pre-trial that closely.

Obviously the state has a tremendous amount at stake here and is willing to print money to get a conviction.

I'm assuming a vast disparity in the size of Chauvin's defense budget.

In what looks likely to come down to a battle of expert opinions, and poking holes in experts' opinions, delivered in a way the jury can understand, does Chauvin have a team of legal and medical experts that can give him a credible defense?

I don't want to see this case determined by who has the bigger war chest.

State begins their opening. Being delivered by Jerry Blackwell. He's not been in court doing any voir dire. He had made some pretrial arguments so this is the first time the jury has ever seen him.

"Anoxic seizure" and "agonal breathing" they are going with the medical theory that he died by asphyxiation.

Good Poster said:

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CHAUVIN DID HIS JOB

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Maybe...up until the handcuffed suspect goes unconcious, when he absolutely was NOT. Prosecution indicating they have evidence of Chauvin not letting up after confirming no pulse.

Prosecutiion pushing oxygen deprivation video evidence to come, probably with medical expert play by play testimon.

Edit not "defense"

Huge team of prosecutors. Should be noted (although I wish it wasn't important) that Blackwell is black.

Began opening with what it means to be a police officer, quoting the slogan of the MPD: "to protect and serve with compassion." Discussed the oath he swore as an officer to not use unreasonable force.

Now going into the incident with Chauvin. Talking about timeline now, when Floyd was saying he couldn't breathe, saying his words slowed. Said there would be medical evidence of anoxic seizures.

Saying that Chauvin did not let up when it was noted Floyd didn't have a pulse. Said EMS looked for a pulse while Chauvin was still on his neck, and Chauvin was still on his neck even after the stretcher was next to him on the street.

This guy kind of sucks and is boring. I was expecting a little more flourish.

thirdcoast said:

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Good Poster said:

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CHAUVIN DID HIS JOB

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Maybe...up until the handcuffed suspect goes unconcious, when he absolutely was NOT. Defense now indicating they have evidence of Chauvin not letting up after confirming no pulse.

Defense pushing oxygen deprivation video evidence to come, probably with medical expert play by play testimon.

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Not the defense. Prosecution is up now.

Amazed this prosecutor passed the bar test totally geared towards preventing black lawyers.

BBC has live coverage if you want something other than our news media.

Also that court reporter Or attorney in the red dress must have been told to keep her knees together

The prosecutor sure likes to say anything and everything twice or more. Didn't let up didn't get up, etc.

They are going with LA cop as excessive force expert? Were Myanmar cops not available?

Cactus Jack said:

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Huge team of prosecutors. Should be noted (although I wish it wasn't important) that Blackwell is black.

Began opening with what it means to be a police officer, quoting the slogan of the MPD: "to protect and serve with compassion." Discussed the oath he swore as an officer to not use unreasonable force.

Now going into the incident with Chauvin. Talking about timeline now, when Floyd was saying he couldn't breathe, saying his words slowed. Said there would be medical evidence of anoxic seizures.

Saying that Chauvin did not let up when it was noted Floyd didn't have a pulse. Said EMS looked for a pulse while Chauvin was still on his neck, and Chauvin was still on his neck even after the stretcher was next to him on the street.

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I'm not watching so I don't know how it was delivered, but I am a little surprised the prosecution would bring in the "I can't breathe" statements from Floyd. This isn't a media narrative, but a courtroom.

"I can't breathe" should help the defense, given it was initially uttered before Chauvin even showed on scene.

I guess they're trying to pre-empt that defense strategy by introducing it in a way that frames it for the jury? I know as an outside observer who initially leaned toward hanging Chauvin from the highest tree, that learning "I can't breathe" was being twisted in the media narrative made me start to look at all of the evidence a lot more closely and cynically.

Were the alternates selected randomly or did the Judge go with the 13th and 14th picks?

If random, do they know they are alternates?

justcallmeharry said:

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The prosecutor sure likes to say anything and everything twice or more. Didn't let up didn't get up, etc.

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The Cochran bit. That's the catch phrase for the prosecution.

Uh oh, did the prosecution just open the door when talking about Police Chief Arredondo??

He said Arredondo would testify for the prosecution, saying he used excessive force.

bloom said:

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BBC has live coverage if you want something other than our news media.

Also that court reporter Or attorney in the red dress must have been told to keep her knees together

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She's Esme Murphy, a local CBS/ WCCO reporter.

ItsA&InotA&M said:

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Were the alternates selected randomly or did the Judge go with the 13th and 14th picks?

If random, do they know they are alternates?

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From his comments this morning, it appears he went in order. So the last two jurors selected could easily find that out and know they are the alternates. As a general rule alternates don't know they are until it is time for deliberations and then they are released. That's because you want the alternates to pay as much attention as those jurors who will be deliberating the case.

Odd that Cahill went in that direction.

third coast.. said:

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Do you think Chauvin is found guilty??

YES

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Hung jury

They are going to bring in medical specialists from every field, including pathology, emergency medicine, pulmonology, cardiology, toxicology, and others to testify. State sparing no resources on for-hire testimony.

Cactus Jack said:

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He said Arredondo would testify for the prosecution, saying he used excessive force.

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But problem here is that the defense has already made an offer of proof of the Police Chief being pressured by the Black community leaders in the day before he fired the officers. Cahill ruled such evidence inadmissible unless the prosecution opens the door.

third coast.. said:

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Do you think Chauvin is found guilty??

YES

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Should he? No.

Will he? Yes.

He's about to play one of the arrest videos.

Little girl wearing a "Love" t-shirt was nearby buying candy = guilty

Quote:

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Quote:

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Quote:
Cahill is addressing and swearing in the jury.

Jeopardy has attached.

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Aggie Jurist said:
Over/under on mistrial?


That's not how over/ under works

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Fair enough....should have asked how many days and if/not.

incoming hot take:

not gonna lie... I haven't seen the full video until now (or maybe I did but forgot how tough it was to watch).

no damn reason at all the man should have kept his knee on the guy for that long. I understand having to do it for a certain amount of time to help get restraints on, maybe to help calm down the situation, but holy **** that seemed excessive after having watched this video just now.

All these bystanders - very chaotic. No wonder Chauvin didn't move. And how was he to know the person was actually trained to take a pulse or administer CPR?

NPH- said:

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incoming hot take:

not gonna lie... I haven't seen the full video until now (or maybe I did but forgot how tough it was to watch).

no damn reason at all the man should have kept his knee on the guy for that long. I understand having to do it for a certain amount of time to help get restraints on, maybe to help calm down the situation, but holy **** that seemed excessive after having watched this video just now.

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Not just that, but they even denied any and every chance to lower the risk to Floyd's life (ex, denying the Minneapolis FD and first responder to even check the pulse.)

I totally agree...not only was it excessive, but both officers repeatedly ignored valid comments from bystanders about Mr. Floyd's appearance when he went from responsive to non-responsive. The knee wasn't lifted and the other officer was told about 30 times his condition was worsening and he ignored it all.

This is "The trial of the 21st Century". Glad the thread's gotten going.

aggiehawg said:

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Oxygen deprivation also happens when someone has 3 times the lethal dose of fentanyl and meth in their system.

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I'm sure a knee to the neck and majority of someone's body weight doesn't help the situation either.

Jbob04 said:

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NPH- said:

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aggiehawg said:

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Oxygen deprivation also happens when someone has 3 times the lethal dose of fentanyl and meth in their system.

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I'm sure a knee to the neck and majority of someone's body weight doesn't help the situation either.

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I thought it was already stated by the examiner that the knee to the neck didn't cause his death?

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My post never said it did --- I said it clearly didn't help the situation though.

The man stopped breathing for some time, I'm sure stopped moving about the same time. Wouldn't the officer have felt the release of tension from the suspect?