Derek Chauvin news: Floyd killer in solitary as police defend Nicholas Reardon shooting Ma’Khia Bryant
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Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is expected to appeal his conviction after being found guilty on all charges in the murder of George Floyd.
The jury found Chauvin was:
- Guilty of second-degree unintentional murder
- Guilty of third-degree murder
- Guilty of second-degree manslaughter
Joe Biden said the conviction of Chauvin in the killing of Mr Floyd could be “a giant step forward” for the nation in the fight against systemic racism. But he declared that “it’s not enough.”
Chauvin remains in the maximum security prison there and is currently under “administrative segregation”, otherwise known as solitary confinement, for his safety, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Corrections told CNN.
On Wednesday, US Attorney General Merrick Garland launched a sweeping investigation into policing practices in Minneapolis, which “will assess whether the Minneapolis Police Department engages in a pattern or practice of using excessive force, including during protests”.
Sentencing was scheduled for 16 June, exactly eight weeks from today.
Read More:
- What happened to the other officers arrested over George Floyd death?
- Minnesota crowd reacts to Chauvin verdict
- George Floyd’s family learn verdict was in from CNN
- Derek Chauvin found guilty on all murder charges
- How long will Derek Chauvin get in jail and what does the verdict mean?
- Who is Derek Chauvin's ex-wife, who filed for divorce after George Floyd's death?
Read The Independent’s updates and analysis below.
Opinion: Derek Chauvin is guilty of murder/. This is the beginning, not the end
Michael Crawford writes about growing up Black and gay in Texas, and how he learned not to go to the police for help.
Read his op-ed below:
Derek Chauvin is guilty of murder. This is the beginning, not the end | Michael Crawford
When I was younger, I went to the police for help. Later, I learned not to
Bernie Sanders says celebrations over Chauvin verdict premature
Bernie Sanders has warned against premature celebrations by campaigners following the conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd last year.
In a series of tweets, the senator said that the “jury’s verdict delivers accountability for Derek Chauvin, but not justice for George Floyd”.
Read more about Mr Sanders’ statement in the report by Mayank Aggarwal:
‘Accountability not justice’: Bernie Sanders says celebrations over Chauvin verdict premature
‘Trauma and tragedy of George Floyd’s murder must never leave us,’ says senator
Nancy Pelosi criticised after thanking George Floyd for ‘sacrificing your life for justice'
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, has received sharp backlash after she thanked George Floyd for “sacrificing” his life in the name of justice.
Ms Pelosi made the comment during a press conference with members of the Congressional Black Caucus following the verdict on Derek Chauvin’s trial.
She said: “Thank you, George Floyd, for sacrificing your life for justice. For being there to call out to your mom — how heartbreaking was that — call out for your mom, ‘I can’t breathe’.”
As many pointed out on social media, Mr Floyd was killed by former police officer Chauvin, who kneeled on his neck for over nine minutes.
Tucker Carlson calls support for George Floyd an ‘attack on civilisation’
Fox News host Tucker Carlson has called public support for George Floyd an “attack on civilisation” after a jury found Derek Chauvin guilty of murdering the unarmed Black man in Minneapolis last year.
On his Tuesday evening show, Carlson interviewed a former New York corrections officer Ed Gavin, who criticised Chauvin for using excessive force on Floyd - but Carlson cut the interview off abruptly.
The presenter also questioned the jury’s verdict, asking: “Can we trust the way this decision was made?”
Maroosha Muzaffar has the full story:
Tucker Carlson calls support for George Floyd an ‘attack on civilisation’
Fox News host uses show to question validity of Derek Chauvin verdict, asking: ‘Can we trust the way this decision was made?’
Those who had run-ins with Derek Chauvin before Floyd say they have ‘no sympathy’ for former officer
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was the subject of at least 17 complaints during his career, according to police records, but only one led to discipline.
Carpenter Julian Hernandez, 38, told Reuters he submitted a complaint about Chauvin after he was “choked out” during an encounter in a Minneapolis night club in 2015.
Mr Hernandez said of the verdict on Chauvin on Tuesday: “I don’t have no sympathy for him. I think he got what he deserved.”
Another man, 75-year-old Monroe Skinaway, witnessed Chauvin pin another man to the pavement in March 2019, 15 months before the death of Mr Floyd.
Mr Skinaway said he remembered what he deemed to be indifference on Chauvin’s face as he pressed Sir Rilee Peet’s head into a puddle deep enough that he struggled to breathe.
He told Reuters that he saw similarities between Chauvin’s treatment of Mr Peet, a young Native American with a history of mental illness, and Mr Floyd.
“He basically did the same thing to that Native kid,” he said. “I think the incident would have gone longer possibly if the ambulance did’t show up.”
World hails teen Darnella Frazier who filmed Derek Chauvin murdering George Floyd
Tributes have been paid to the teenager Danielle Frazier for her pivotal role in ensuring justice for George Floyd.
The then 17-year-old from Minneapolis witnessed Floyd being restrained by Derek Chauvin on 25 May last year and filmed the ordeal on her camera phone.
Harriet Brewis takes a look at what people have said about her invaluable contribution to the verdict:
World hails teen who filmed Derek Chauvin murdering George Floyd
Tributes have been paid to the teenager Darnella Frazier for her pivotal role in ensuring justice for George Floyd.
Makiyah Bryant: Ohio police release body camera footage in shooting of 16-year-old
Police in Ohio have released body camera footage of the shooting of a 16-year-old Black girl who’s killed on the same day as the verdict in George Floyd’s case was announced.
The girl, identified by family as Makiyah Bryant, was shot and killed by police in Columbus on Tuesday afternoon, after officers were called to a disturbance on the southeast side of the city following reports of an attempted stabbing.
Stuti Mishra reports:
Police release body camera footage in shooting of 16-year-old Makiyah Bryant
Clip shows chaotic scene before officer opens fire
UN rights chief welcomes Derek Chauvin’s murder conviction
Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations human rights chief, has welcomed the verdict in the George Floyd case, saying that “any other result would have been a travesty of justice”.
Ms Bachelet said in a statement:”As we have painfully witnessed in recent days and weeks, reforms to policing departments across the US continue to be insufficient to stop people of African descent from being killed.”
Sunny Hostin breaks down on air following Chauvin guilty verdict
The View’s Sunny Hostin became emotional on-air while reacting to the verdict for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was found guilty on all charges in the murder of George Floyd.
Through tears, the ABC News host explained that she was “so relieved” by the decision. “This is what justice finally looks like for my community,” she said.
Rachel Brodsky and Louise Hal have the story:
Sunny Hostin cries on air following Chauvin guilty verdict as TV anchors react to news
‘What would have happened had there not been video?’ CNN’s Jake Tapper later tweeted
Chauvin ‘likely to appeal conviction’ but odds of overturning verdict are low
Former police officer Derek Chauvin is expected to file an appeal against his conviction on all three counts over the killing of George Floyd, according to Reuters and other media reports.
However, it is unclear what issues the 45-year-old, who could face up to 40 years in prison, will seek to raise to the appellate court.
Chauvin could argue ineffective assistance of counsel but he is more likely to push on possible bias of jurors or the refusal by Judge Peter Cahill to delay or move the trial, according to legal experts who spoke to USA Today.
The chances of overturning the verdict are not high, as some 90 per cent of appeals across the US are denied, the newspaper said.
It added that it may be especially hard to overturn the verdict as the appellate court in Minnesota is filled with elected officials who would need to strike down one of the most high-profile rulings in US history.
On Monday, Judge Cahill admonished public officials about speaking out while the trial was ongoing, as such remarks are often cited by defense attorneys as a reason to appeal a verdict.
“I wish elected officials would stop talking about this case, especially in a manner that's disrespectful to the rule of law and to the judicial branch and our function,” he said shortly after sending the jury to begin deliberations.
John Baker, assistant professor of criminal justice at St Cloud State University, told Reuters that Chauvin could also appeal over the publicity around the Minneapolis City Council’s $27m settlement with the family of George Floyd.
“That will be another issue he will appeal on but I don't think he will be successful,” Mr Baker said.
“You're going to need direct evidence: a juror who says they were impacted. You cannot just speculate.”
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