The State V. Derek Chauvin: A trial with historic significance for Black America
Opinion Analysis by Albert Geokgeuzian, Staff Writer and Tala Karkanawi, Contributor
April 15th, 2021
On May 25th, 2020, George Floyd used a counterfeit $20 bill at a Minneapolis market and the employee of the store called 911. Police arrived and tried to detain Mr. Floyd, who resisted at first before ultimately stopping once handcuffed. After Mr. Floyd was handcuffed, he was placed on the floor and for over 9 minutes, Derek Chauvin placed his knee over Mr. Floyd’s neck and refused to release any pressure until the paramedics arrived despite bystanders pleading to each of the 3 officers present at the scene to at least check for a pulse. There was none. Mr. Floyd had died.
Derek Chauvin’s trial is being viewed by the world. The former police officer is charged with the death of George Floyd. It’s been more than two weeks since the trial started, with Chauvin facing three separate charges, a second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter.
It is important to understand what’s happening right now. However, let us start by understanding a few key terms. When it comes to a criminal trial, the evidence has to be convincing, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that all defendants are innocent until proven guilty, which is why it is important to note that the jurors are instructed to ignore every piece of outside news that might affect their judgement during the trial.
What Chauvin is currently going through is a trial that would determine his innocence or guilt. A trial stresses on an analytical evaluation of unclear facts or legal disputes. If everyone agrees, then there is no dispute, hence a trial is not needed. However, this is not the case. In a trial, it is important to obtain evidence, whether physical evidence, verbal and written testimonies. In this case, the prosecution is heavily depending on witnesses and their testimonies. Witnesses are the main significant source of all critical information impacting the end results of the trial. This case is extremely emotional and personal to all people of color in the United States. Hence the prosecution has been focusing on bringing out the emotions of the witnesses in order to sway the jurors to their favor.
It is extremely important to note that most of the time, a witness’s credibility is highly questioned, especially when it comes to their appearance and demeanor. Jurors’ own prejudices and biases can affect whether they believe a witness. For example, many would trust police officers to tell the truth, others may have a different response when it comes to public and law enforcement officers, which in this case, is highly expected.
Lawyers try to classify potential jurors who express predetermined and fixed beliefs about the integrity of the people who are significant witnesses in the case. However, jurors’ subliminal or implied preconception may impact heavily whether they’re influenced or swayed by witnesses from specific cultural, racial or class backgrounds. Why is it that important to discuss the status of the witnesses so far? Because the witnesses are the ones holding the trial, and the only chance in bringing justice for George Floyd and everyone else who has been mistreated by the justice and the police system in the United States.
Were the witnesses able to sway the jurors to the prosecution's side so far? In the past two weeks, a variety of witnesses came forward, whether the ones giving emotional testimonies, professional and expert testimonies, or discussing what specifically happened during the incident.
George Floyd’s girlfriend came forward and brought in an extremely emotional testimony that may or may not do her justice. However, she did mention something extremely important, which is Floyd’s addiction to opioid. The defense will use Floyd’s medical history to argue that Floyd’s death was less because of Mr. Chauvin’s actions and more of underlying health conditions.
Donald Williams, a former wrestler who was trained in the mixed martial arts, was passing by the scene and noticed that Chauvin was using a method called the ‘blood choke’, which cuts the airway of the person. He called the police on Chauvin because he claimed that he was ‘witnessing a murder’. What is significant with Donald William’s testimony is that he brought in an expert’s touch which increases his credibility amongst the jurors, and that’s all you care about when a trial is conducted by jurors
Genevieve is a Minneapolis city firefighter. She pleaded to the officers to conduct CPR on Floyd because he wasn’t moving and a fully grown human body was on top of his neck, suffocating him. The police apparently threatened her and told her not to interfere. Moreover, her testimony adds credibility because of her expertise. However, during the cross-over with the defense, they questioned her about the emotions of the crowd and witnesses during the incident. This is a tactic that would undermine the credibility of the witness because emotions can change a memory and blind a person’s recollections causing them to forget. However, the whole incident was videotaped, which backfired in the defense’s situation.
We won’t know what the verdict will be for the next couple of weeks, and depending on the verdict, America might have a completely different reaction. Make no mistake, a guilty verdict isn’t a guarantee. History has shown that even in a case where there is video evidence of police officers using excessive force, the jury can be deem that to be a reasonable expression of police control, as was the case withRodney King who was beaten by four police officer and suffered skull fractures, broken bones and teeth, and permanent brain damageas a result of a brutal beatdown by 4 police officers in March, 1991 in Los Angeles.
The jury, during the trial of the 4 policemen, reached a verdict of not guilty and deemed that the officers were within their right to kick a man and beat him with batons for a reported 15 minutes. The video evidence was a 12 second clip that showed the 4 officers beating Mr. King while several officers watched.
This photograph of Rodney King was taken on March 6, 1991, three days after police officers beat him savagely. The photo is one of three introduced into evidence by the prosecution in the trial of four LAPD officers in a Simi Valley, Calif., courtroom in 1992. (Associated Press)
In the aftermath of the verdict, LA erupted into riots. Fires were set, liquor stores, grocery stores, retail shops were looted and destroyed. The riots lasted for 5 days, resulting in 50 deaths, more than 2000 injuries and $1 billion in total the damages
Looters mill in the parking lot of the ABC Market (top) in South Central Los Angeles on April 30, 1992.
Paul Sakuma, Nick Ut, Kevork Djansezian (Associated Press)
Derek Chauvin’s trial has a massive importance to communities of color, not just to the city of Minneapolis but also the whole of America. This is technically the trial of Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd, but this is also the trial of police brutality for racism and excessive use of force. If Chauvin is found to be not guilty, it's possible to see large parts of America going through what South LA went through in 1992.
21 years after those protests, George Zimmerman was acquitted for killing an unarmed black teenager by the name of Trayvon Martin. That day the #blacklivesmatter trended for the first time, and a new organization was born. BLM has come a long way since 2013, becoming the largest movement in US history, and their impact was felt this last US election cycle.
Organizers like BLM and More Than A Vote, along with many others, were the reason behind a historic black voter turnout in Georgia, flipping the state to democratic for the first time since 1992. That’s extremely significant because Washington only listens if you can affect them, and the black community has shown that they can affect politics. After generations of obstacles being placed in front of the black community making it harder for them to vote, black voters in Georgia proved that they have the voting power to shake up politics.
In 2021 alone, a total of 412 bills have been proposed in 47 states regarding policing alternatives and collaboration or use of force. A lot of those bills will not be enacted, but that doesn’t change the fact there is now a seriousness of focus targeted at this issue. Politicians will use this trial as an opportunity to show to black voters that they are being heard.
This trial is being watched by America very closely. Everyone from your average joe to President Joe is keeping a close eye on this case to see where the country is heading. 12 individuals will decide where the country will go, and we’ll find out ourselves in May.