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.
“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.
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.
So, I get that there’s a feeling of relief to see justice done, and a general sentiment of “fuck the police,” but…
The tone of this response is pretty inappropriate. A man died at the hands of a police officer. Now, said police officer is found guilty of murder and denied further appeal. This best outcome is still a somber event.
Don’t be Reddit.
I would venture to say infringing on a citizen’s rights, killing them, and then going surprise pikachu face when you get your comeuppance is inappropriate. But this meme is not, in fact, it is one of the founding principles of America to be able to make fun of our government and its representatives and to hold them accountable for this misdoings.
While I do see your point, police have been using and abusing their authority to suppress American’s civil rights and liberties for so long, it’s just about a cliche.
This particular murderer thought he was above the law and the family of George Floyd are getting his justice. I feel like making fun of him for losing his appeal is appropriate here.
It’s beyond mere “relief” to see an officer face accountability. At the very least it is cathartic and makes me question society as a whole because it happens so infrequently.
I don’t feel bad about posting this meme. Sorry if you disagree.
I don’t have to feel somber about a murderer facing justice. I can be happy and celebratory.
My feelings are important too
Real reddit move trying to shame someone for a rational response to a piece of shit getting what he earned.
While also ignoring the fact that shit like this is still happening every day, but no, let’s focus on the guy laughing at this murderer.
We can celebrate in our own ways. Are you really tone policing a meme about a cop being rightfully sent to jail?
Why do you feel the need to bring reddit into this? It has nothing to do with reddit. Just because you disagree with someone doesn’t mean that they’re “reddit”.
When Trump dies, will it also be only appropriate to feel “somberness”? Because I’m potentially getting alcohol poisoning that day and idgaf if that’s “inappropriate”
Hey. Can I join you? I will bring a bottle.
Wow this is an impressive amount of hand wringing for “Ha Ha!”. Get over it.
A man died at the hands of a police officer.
😔
Now, said police officer is found guilty of murder and denied further appeal.
😜 😜 😂 😂 😂
Which is to say that this hits much different when you’ve been abused by police. So many of us have been illegally physically or verbally abused by some smug power tripping fuck. So, so many of us have seen that face Chauvin made in the video. Fire it up and look at it with about 2 minutes left, after Floyd has gone limp but Chauvin is still applying the choke. Watch the way he makes extended eye contact with Darnella Frazier while he kills Floyd. He was showing her that he does whatever he wants whenever he wants. He was giving her a look a lot of us have seen, the one that says “What the fuck are you gonna do about it? I am the law.”
To see the system, for fucking once, stand up to the murderer and for the victim. To find out that even for the cops there’s a line. That fills those of us who’ve been yearning for our own internal justice with a joy that prompts outward celebration. It is, in a small way, a move in the direction of feeling safe again.
Inappropriate? Like intentionally standing on a man’s neck for several minutes until he dies? I think being happy that he doesn’t get a chance to be free again is valid. In any case who is harmed here?
I think his comment is saying that because he stood on someone’s neck, we should devalue the situation to a cheap joke.
I’ll take the downvotes because I don’t care.
I feel that 20 years is excessive and though I firmly believe he deserves sentencing, I’m not sure that 20 years is the right call.
Yes, he ended a life. Yes, he was negligent. Yes, he could’ve done better. There is no doubt in my mind that he doesn’t regret his actions. Does that bring George back? No. Sad feelings do not do anything. But we always speak about how we praise Norway for their outlook on rehabilitation yet the masses shout for unlimited prison sentences and punishment.
I’m not sure what the right call is. As a matter of fact, I’d hate to be the judge, juror, or executioner. I just wanted to share that I agree. It’s somber on even the best outcome.
Floyd was Chauvin’s 4th murder. Look at his record as an officer. An endless stream of bodies and use of force complaints.
20 years is justice for what he did. If he wanted to go to jail in Norway he should have abused his position and slowly painfully with premedication murdered someone there.
I don’t care if he regrets torture and murder and I don’t know how you know that he does. Maybe he should have thought about guilt prior to torture.
I upvoted you both because I’ll never fail to be happy about police accountability, but also you have a good point.
We’ll have made real progress when police accountability is so commonplace that our amazement when it happens will be less likely to overshadow the fate of their victims.
Good. Now STFU and do your time, you piece of shit.
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.
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.
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Thoughts and prayers
