Chauvin used a potentially deadly hold (& he should do time), but one thing may mitigate it a bit:

SoreShoulder

Chauvin used a potentially deadly hold (& he should do time), but one small thing may mitigate it a tiny amount:

Videos of the entire arrest are available online and they show George Floyd was already saying "I can't breathe" long before they put him on the ground and kneeled on the back of his neck.  He tried to claim he had claustrophobia.  Perhaps the cops' instinct told them he was lying.  

He was high on fentanyl and trying to pass some counterfeit bills, perhaps so he could sell the goods he bought for real cash and get more drugs, and his party wouldn't end in the drunk tank.  

Even though too much force was used because they already had the guy down and cuffed, he did cry wolf a little tiny bit before they put him on the ground.  The officers may have thought he was just lying about claustrophobia and about not being able to breathe so he could keep using drugs. 

spasmcreeksrun

isn't it FNN sickening how many of these minor hoodlums have been glamorized as heroes ......disgusting

nmyers

It's been many years since I was a county auxiliary officer (with power of arrest).  We were trained by police academy instructors.  One thing that stuck in my mind is this:  once you cuff someone, you must stay with him & protect him, because he is no longer capable of self preservation.  Chauvin certainly knew that he shouldn't have kept the drugged prisoner lying in the street, head pressed against asphalt, with his knee on the prisoner's neck.  It's difficult to mitigate that.

Neal

SoreShoulder

nmyers said:

It's been many years since I was a county auxiliary officer (with power of arrest).  We were trained by police academy instructors.  One thing that stuck in my mind is this:  once you cuff someone, you must stay with him & protect him, because he is no longer capable of self preservation.  Chauvin certainly knew that he shouldn't have kept the drugged prisoner lying in the street, head pressed against asphalt, with his knee on the prisoner's neck.  It's difficult to mitigate that.

Neal

It was reckless of the officers especially in light of the consequences. I hope they do time. But I think the fact that Floyd cried wolf makes it third degree murder not second degree because Chauvin had ample reason to think Floyd was just trying to wriggle out of going to jail and losing his fentanyl high by telling lies.  Because he was already saying "I can't breathe" before they even cuffed him and put him on the ground.

SoreShoulder

I don't know if they could get Chauvin for third degree murder if they tried him for second degree murder and the jury found there was reasonable doubt because Floyd had been saying "I can't breathe" before the hold that allegedly caused his death began.