this post was submitted on 20 Nov 2023
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The Supreme Court on Monday turned away an appeal by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, leaving in place his conviction for the killing of George Floyd in May 2020.

Lawyers for Chauvin had asked the Supreme Court in October to take up his legal battle, which centered around a Minnesota trial court's denial of his requests for a change of venue and to sequester the jury. Chauvin argued that the decision to keep the proceedings in Minneapolis deprived him of his right to a fair trial because of pretrial publicity and the threat of violence and riots in the event he was acquitted.

"Mr. Chauvin's case shows the profound difficulties trial courts have to ensure a criminal defendant's right to an impartial jury consistently when extreme cases arise," his lawyers told the court in a filing, adding that the jurors who heard the case "had a vested interest in finding Mr. Chauvin guilty in order to avoid further rioting in the community in which they lived and the possible threat of physical harm to them or their families."

The Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed Chauvin's conviction and rejected his request for a new trial in April after his lawyer challenged the decision by Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill not to move the trial from Minneapolis, among other issues. The state supreme court declined to review that decision in July, leaving in place Chauvin's conviction and 22 ½-year sentence.

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[–] Kalkaline@leminal.space 69 points 1 year ago (2 children)

"Mr. Chauvin's case shows the profound difficulties trial courts have to ensure a criminal defendant's right to an impartial jury consistently when extreme cases arise," his lawyers told the court in a filing, adding that the jurors who heard the case "had a vested interest in finding Mr. Chauvin guilty in order to avoid further rioting in the community in which they lived and the possible threat of physical harm to them or their families."

Bullshit, anyone who watched that video including the people in it knew exactly what was happening. He smothered George Floyd to death while his cop buddies set up a perimeter and prevented anyone from doing anything about it. I get that it's the defense's job to try to find these arguments, but that's a complete mischaracterization of why the jury found him guilty.

[–] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 29 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Trying to establish a precedent that if your crime is outrageous enough, you can't get a fair trial and therefore can't be convicted.

[–] Kalkaline@leminal.space 5 points 1 year ago

Maybe he just wants some good old fashioned mob justice.

[–] Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

“Mr. Chauvin’s case shows the profound difficulties trial courts have to ensure a criminal defendant’s right to an impartial jury consistently when extreme cases arise,” his lawyers told the court in a filing, adding that the jurors who heard the case “had a vested interest in finding Mr. Chauvin guilty in order to avoid further rioting in the community in which they lived and the possible threat of physical harm to them or their families.”

I don't disagree with that statement. Not that I think it changes anything about the end result, with him being obviously guilty.

[–] Kalkaline@leminal.space 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't know how you could come to any other conclusion than guilty, even if there were hypothetical threats to the jury. Reasonable people don't call that anything other than a homicide.

[–] Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago
[–] burntbutterbiscuits@sh.itjust.works 51 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] magnetosphere@kbin.social 42 points 1 year ago

Good. Now STFU and do your time, you piece of shit.

[–] modifier@lemmy.ca 34 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Maybe a change of venue could be warranted in a case that wasn't fully documented on video in excruciating detail, but as it is, we know whose neck that was, and whose knee.

Commence rotting, Derek.

[–] Eezyville@sh.itjust.works 17 points 1 year ago

The entire world knew. Protests as far as Tokyo. I don't know where he thought he would get some jurors who didn't know that it was his knee on Mr. Floyd's neck.

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I get the feeling that he isn't aware that he's far safer in prison, than released into the general population....

[–] afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago

Thoughts and prayers

[–] MDKAOD@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago

Or he could have just not killed a man because he needed to prove he was in control of the scene.

[–] BilboBargains@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Where's he getting the cash for all these appeals?

[–] dantheclamman@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Seems like his attorney runs a practice trying to grab attention on all sorts of wedge issues like overturning the 2020 election, against covid vaccine requirements, etc. So the attorney might be doing it for the exposure. Chauvin had previously unsuccessfully tried to be assigned a public defender for his appeals. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/10/18/derek-chauvin-hires-lawyer-to-represent-him-on-appeal

[–] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago

Doctrine of "If people know what happened they'll find me guilty and I don't like that"

[–] GenesisJones@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

They don't want that smoke

[–] fosforus@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 year ago

Bargain bin Woody Harrelson.