GUILTY MN - George Floyd, 46, killed in police custody, Minneapolis, 25 May 2020 #20

[missy1974]

no thank you!!
do you think the state of MN would pay Nelson to act as Chauvin's PD if the defense fund doesn't pay for it?

I'm not even sure that Nelson would handle the appeal? A lot of cases I've followed, the appeals are handled by different lawyers then the trial lawyer. Jmo

 

[SoCalDavidS]

Was anyone else expecting to hear a statement/interview with Eric Nelson? I guess I still am. Do you think he'll issue a statement? TIA

Maybe he doesn't want to say anything until after sentencing. Wouldn't want to influence the judge in harm to his client.

Not sure I care what he has to say, although I'm sure it will make all the headlines. In fact, I know exactly what he'll say. He'll talk about how this was a miscarriage of justice, and that the prosecution got away with this and that, and was able to introduce this and that evidence, which should have been disallowed. He'll start throwing stuff at the wall, to see what is sticking in terms of the appeal that's a 200% certainty.

What he won't do is attack the jury, or demean their verdicts in any way. He'll simply say they were misinformed, and led down the wrong path, by the evil prosecutors who had it out for his client, for no valid reason.

 

[SBops]

If what you say is true it sure didn't have an effect on the trial's outcome. JMO

It is not over until he is sentenced.
This must be one of the most watched trials in recent history, he would be risking his professional reputation if he had been obviously biased.

 

[SoCalDavidS]

Now that we await sentencing, did anyone else find it a bit odd that the whole club situation, where GF and DC both allegedly worked at one point at the same time, was not discussed more in the media? It came up early on but also disappeared pretty quickly.

I am really curious to see if it is brought up by the State towards sentencing and the "issues" DC allegedly had with GF over a paycheck. Or if they'll try to admit the times the club manager said DC area as very aggressive with minorities who came to the club.

They would have had to have evidence of direct interaction(s) between the two, and those interactions would have had to be somehow relevant. Also, there would need to have been actual witnesses or video of those interactions, because 1 of the two people in question is dead, and the other is the one being tried. So I'm guessing the prosecution had no proof of the above, or it was inconsequential. The judge would have thrown it out as such if the prosecution had dared to go there. But their case was strong enough on it's own merits, that it was unnecessary, and would have taken away from the single interaction which mattered. The one that ended Mr. Floyd's life.

 

[Weki]

Wonder how they will do victim impact statements? I guess ppl can come to the podium one by one! Whew! That’s gonna be rough! I wonder who will be there on behalf of DC if at all!!

 

[bluebird69]

But in SB's poll of posters, eight thought that he should not be charged with anything, which I found really surprising.

I think he will be glad he made the decision to have the judge decide on the aggravating factors after the jury finding him guilty on all three of his original charges

 

[Dotta]

Wonder how they will do victim impact statements? I guess ppl can come to the podium one by one! Whew! That’s gonna be rough! I wonder who will be there on behalf of DC if at all!!

Or even DCh will speak at last

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Quick and prudent release:?
News Releases - BCA Identifies Officers in Burnsville Officer Involved Shooting Incident

 

[Chelly]

As I’ve commented previously, I think Cahill is sympathetic to Chauvin. Just my impression. That’s why Chauvin/Nelson elected to have him decide on the aggravating factors instead of the jury. I just don’t see him giving him the max or ruling in favor of the state re the aggravating factors.

Agree. Judge Cahill demonstrated his sympathy to Chauvin and defense early in jury selection. In slightly heated exchange, Cahill pointed out to Prosecution that they had a huge team of experts and lawyers, while defense only had one lawyer plus one assistant.

 

[RANCH]

It is not over until he is sentenced.
This must be one of the most watched trials in recent history, he would be risking his professional reputation if he had been obviously biased.

You're saying the trial isn't over? Or are you saying that Chauvin hasn't been sentenced yet? Those are two separate things. JMO

 

[10ofRods]

Im curious if the judge can give the max sentence if the defendant has no prior criminal record? I know next to nothing about American law but I think there is some gradation the judge must follow while deciding the sentence. Im sure the judge will take into account these agg factors, especially because minors were involved in this terrible case. But I dont think the sentence will be too high - the last few years DCh will spend on parole (only 2/3 of the sentence in prison) and his previous imprisonment will be added. So... the sentence will be symbolic in my opinion. But the whole case was symbolic - the wind of change is coming and that is the Victory!

We would need to know Minnesota law - this is entirely within the state's jurisdiction. One of the aggravating factors which Chauvin's attorneys agreed could be decided by the judge is the fact that the two knew each other prior and there was bad blood between them (as I understand it). That's one major aggravating factor right there.

Why do you think the sentence will be symbolic? Minnesota's sentencing guidelines say 12.5 years (which makes sense, rather than having such closely related charges run consecutively). But there are aggravating factors (one of which is that he was a sworn officer and another is that he didn't like the man he killed and others knew that). For it to be a "symbolic" sentence, it would need to be well under half the recommendation (say 2 years - that might even keep him inside of a lower security prison). If he only serves part of that, he'd be out in about 18 months. I guess I won't be shocked by anything, in this case, but boy does that seem to be a bogus way to hand out justice.

I am wondering if the federal charges will come next. I can't recall the status of those, only that he wasn't allowed to plead out to lesser charges.

If you are right, then he's likely to spend 7-8 years in prison, which must look like a long time from where he's sitting right now.

 

[Chelly]

Wonder how they will do victim impact statements? I guess ppl can come to the podium one by one! Whew! That’s gonna be rough! I wonder who will be there on behalf of DC if at all!!

I think Judge will plan for mitigation and aggrevation factors before sentencing. So probably victim impact statements? Up to the judge, I guess.

 

[SBops]

Agree. Judge Cahill demonstrated his sympathy to Chauvin and defense early in jury selection. In slightly heated exchange, Cahill pointed out to Prosecution that they had a huge team of experts and lawyers. Defense only had one lawyer plus one assistant.

BBM. But surely that was their choice. He had the union and their millions behind him.
I am not sure that it was not a tactical move to seem like the underdog.

 

[kaen]

I'm not even sure that Nelson would handle the appeal? A lot of cases I've followed, the appeals are handled by different lawyers then the trial lawyer. Jmo

It would be in this killer's advantage to have a different lawyer on appeal as his legal team would probably do all of the factors of the current climate (issues related to coverage, Wright case, etc), no sequestration, lack of granting the change of venue but also might want to argue on ineffectiveness of counsel. They had very few expert witnesses. His lawyer played Mr. Floyd in agony again and again. His lawyer was throwing whatever he could to the wall to see what would stick. There were places where he should have objected and didn't. This trial was simple but very complex for one attorney to handle.

The killer will need someone to argue hard and effectively.

 

[Chelly]

BBM. But surely that was their choice. He had the union and their millions behind him.
I am not sure that it was not a tactical move to seem like the underdog.

Indeed it was Nelson's choice. He chose to be a one-man-defense-team.

 

[Tom_Servo]

I have expressed here, that perhaps due to my searches on "certain sites" due to looking into WS rabbit holes, that my "algorithms" are feeding me stuff. It really is shocking. It started happening back with COVID research last year MOO that social media algorithms are putting my searches into more and more and more of a focus.... which I DO NOT LIKE.

A couple of months ago, I banned myself from even watching some evening television shows with "talking heads".

I guess I'm with many of us here that wants the facts, and give me the resource to view etc.. but if on nightly tv... don't go into your opinion. I find much better to look for such (as we do with trials and statements and court submissions) which are NIGHT AND DAY moo from what many say on television. (Those that follow the Jan 6th thread know what I'm talking about... they say one thing in media.. In court they say "no reasonable person would believe")

It’s sad isn’t it? News wasn’t always like this but we are where we are. The movie “Social Dilemma” was spot on and you see it yourself. I tend to look at the extreme right/left sites first. Then go to CBC..which Canada has different press laws than we do, BBC and a couple other Euro sites in addition to Australia news sites and the South China Morning Post (and a couple Korean sites) to gather as many perspectives as possible. Only then do I feel like I’ve got the whole picture.

 

[Chelly]

Wonder how they will do victim impact statements? I guess ppl can come to the podium one by one! Whew! That’s gonna be rough! I wonder who will be there on behalf of DC if at all!!

Maybe a couple of cops in defense of DC if mitigation and aggravation statements are done.

 

[Chelly]

BBM. But surely that was their choice. He had the union and their millions behind him.
I am not sure that it was not a tactical move to seem like the underdog.

Yes, some talking heads speculated it was a tactical move by Nelson to work alone. A sort of Samson and Goliath tactic.

 

[Weki]

Agree. Judge Cahill demonstrated his sympathy to Chauvin and defense early in jury selection. In slightly heated exchange, Cahill pointed out to Prosecution that they had a huge team of experts and lawyers, while defense only had one lawyer plus one assistant.

Which seemed disingenuous to me because he had to suspect it was strategic to make Chauvin look like David to the State’s Goliath. As Schleicher pointed out the police union was paying for Chauvin’s defense and as has been reported there are lawyers helping Nelson behind the scenes.

Secondly, I feel like the judge has been highly annoyed about public officials speaking about the case and has taken that out on the state. His tone with Nelson is noticeably solicitous.

 

[SBops]

Yes, some talking heads speculated it was a tactical move by Nelson to work alone. A sort of Samson and Goliath tactic.

I am surprised that the judge fell for it, though. He would know that the police union would have supplied as many lawyers as they needed.