George Floyd and Derek Chauvin (screengrabs)
The prosecution began their closing arguments in the Derek Chauvin trial Monday, prompting legal experts to summarize and explain why it's ok to believe the police and still vote to convict.
"You can believe your eyes that it's a homicide," prosecuting attorney Jerry Blackwell explained in opening statements.
In the closing arguments, he walked through all of the people encouraging Chauvin to stop, including his own colleagues, who could be overheard on bodycam video asking if they should roll George Floyd on his side.
Chauvin pleaded not guilty to three charges: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges.
See the comments from legal experts responding to the closing argument and including info below:
Prosecutors must lead jurors to water AND make them drink by walking them through statutory elements. You NEVER wa… https://t.co/2ZGs9zrF9H— Laura Coates (@Laura Coates) 1618847444.0
"No compassion was shown on that day." "George Floyd needed oxygen that day more than he needed compassion."— Katie S. Phang (@Katie S. Phang) 1618843184.0
Prosecution: George Floyd did not get a trial when he was alive & he’s not on trial here.— Joyce Alene (@Joyce Alene) 1618844105.0
Graham v. Connor comes up again #DerekChauvinTrial Remember you judge Chauvin’s force not from HIS or bystanders’… https://t.co/6iGlKeLEpR— Laura Coates (@Laura Coates) 1618847838.0
Impressed with prosecution’s closing argument here. He methodically uses evidence to show Floyd’s repeated complian… https://t.co/i7NmcMJSZr— Barb McQuade (@Barb McQuade) 1618845388.0
"Believe your eyes. You can rely on the experts who testified, too."— Katie S. Phang (@Katie S. Phang) 1618845267.0
“Make no mistake, this is not a prosecution of the police. This is a prosecution of the defendant. And there’s noth… https://t.co/dZ766lG1i0— Josh Campbell (@Josh Campbell) 1618843690.0
George Floyd’s final words to “Mr. Officer”, as he referred to Chauvin, were, “Please, I can’t breathe.”— Glenn Kirschner (@Glenn Kirschner) 1618843142.0
“Mr. Officer” 💔— Preet Bharara (@Preet Bharara) 1618843056.0
“A pain compliance technique used without the opportunity to comply is simply the infliction of pain and not an aut… https://t.co/hV8klRa5gu— Laura Coates (@Laura Coates) 1618847988.0
#DerekChauvinTrial https://t.co/XfEhRyv6bs— NovEmma (@NovEmma) 1618848728.0
Second Degree Murder: Defendant caused Floyd's death. The fact that other causes may have contributed to his death… https://t.co/69JavV470x— Katie S. Phang (@Katie S. Phang) 1618845417.0
Name the trial where the jury deliberated during riots & a Congresswoman demanded the jury convict or the riots wou… https://t.co/gQh4AcPuxZ— Robert Barnes (@Robert Barnes) 1618719726.0
Prosecution’s reminds the jury about the use of force continuum: Force must be reasonable when it starts. Force mu… https://t.co/DWKW6OBhVO— Laura Coates (@Laura Coates) 1618848457.0
Watching closing arguments in the Chauvin case: “Face down on the pavement for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. The paveme… https://t.co/twREBA7ixV— Glenn Kirschner (@Glenn Kirschner) 1618843047.0
This is not an anti-police prosecution. This is a pro-police prosecution. Again, his calculation is that a normal… https://t.co/MDxa9pCgL9— Harry Litman (@Harry Litman) 1618843870.0
Prosecution brushes off unruly crowd defense, says Chauvin is trying to put the blame on the bystanders for showing… https://t.co/y6o5LSUEe8— Joyce Alene (@Joyce Alene) 1618848149.0
Here’s how the prosecutor began his closing arguments: His name was George P. Floyd, Jr. and he was born on Octobe… https://t.co/smi2D6crT1— Laura Coates (@Laura Coates) 1618842767.0
#DerekChauvinTrial Prosecution much more comfortable arguing the Third - Degree murder charge than the Second-Degre… https://t.co/AwkqJDEbxq— Shanlon Wu (@Shanlon Wu) 1618847971.0
I watch these videos and keep thinking that this was all over an allegedly counterfeit $20 bill.— Asha Rangappa (@Asha Rangappa) 1618844707.0
Prosecution just reminded jurors that this all began w/ an alleged counterfeit $20 bill, & asked jury to question w… https://t.co/NVjgCn3O9j— Laura Coates (@Laura Coates) 1618848624.0
The prosecutor is doing a really solid job here. not exactly low-key but not swinging for the fences. if anything… https://t.co/5ZyrWIFTzN— Harry Litman (@Harry Litman) 1618844508.0
“This is not an anti-police prosecution. This is a pro-police prosecution.” Smart framing.— Asha Rangappa (@Asha Rangappa) 1618843920.0
"We don't need to show that the defendant intended to cause George Floyd harm." — Prosecution describing their burden under the law— Adam Klasfeld (@Adam Klasfeld) 1618846774.0
Prosecution closes: “This wasn’t policing. This was murder”— Joyce Alene (@Joyce Alene) 1618848813.0
It was as if George Floyd's left lung had been surgically removed, that's how much the lung capacity was reduced.— Harry Litman (@Harry Litman) 1618845964.0
State has concluded its Closing Argument: “This case is exactly what you thought when you saw it first, when you sa… https://t.co/AXC2eji2oY— Katie S. Phang (@Katie S. Phang) 1618849123.0
