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Bonnie Beresford's avatar

I agree with you on Chauvin. He was insensitive but as an experienced cop, he has seen every trick in the book from arrestees trying to lie, scam and bluff their way out of an arrest. Floyd pulled the old "I'm claustrophobic" chestnut to avoid being put in the cop car, and even "I can't breathe" is a common way of getting police officers to lighten their restraint, a tactic that has resulted in many a successful break-away.

Cops have a very tough job. Crowds of snotty bystanders videotaping everything do not help them do their very tough jobs, especially when considering that the cops are responsible for the safety of the arrestee AND of the hostile crowds who spill into traffic while "getting the goods" on the cops.

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madaboutmd's avatar

How about the Jacob Blake arrest in Kenosha, WI sparking riots because he resisted arrest after kidnapping his children while violating the restraining order of his former girlfriend/mother of his children, attempting to steal her car, and pulling a knife on the officers. Three years later, Kenosha has still not recovered.

We don't live in a world anymore where we can all see the just the facts....whether it's Derek Chauvin or the officer in the Blake arrest.

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feldspar's avatar

Floyd pulled the ultimate scam by actually dying. What a huckster!

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Lekimball's avatar

Yes well he didn't die because of anything Chauvin did. The most, the very most he should have been charged with was negligent homicide for not getting him help. And police protocol probably can always be improved. However, he was saying he couldn't breathe before he was even on the ground. What they did to Chauvin is criminal. It wasn't justice.

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Outis's avatar

Chauvin could and arguably should have conducted himself differently. It's of course very easy to say what one would do in a situation with an agitated group of onlookers in one of the lousier areas of Minneapolis. It's "South Minneapolis", maybe a mile south of Lake Street, and I remember the convenience store: "Cup Foods" was presumably a play on "Cub Foods" which is/was one of the bigger grocery store chains in the state. It's not a super bad area but not "good" either; there are loads of low-level criminals in the area.

Specifically, I'd recommend you read:

1.) George Floyd's autopsy which is available online. The dude had an 11 ng/ml fentanyl blood concentration. By all accounts I've read, that would easily be a fatal level for most people (7 ng/ml or higher seems to be the agreed upon lethal concentration). Add on to that the methamphetamine, nor-fentanyl and other drugs he had in his system on top of a serious heart condition the coroner diagnosed...and you've got a guy who is in a genuinely compromised condition.

You can check this too: one of the side-effects of opiods is increased congestion in the lungs and a depression of respiratory function. Ergo, the "I can't breathe" may well have been due to his drug consumption. There is apparently ongoing debate as to what Floyd was recorded as saying in some of the bodycam footage ("I ate too much drugs" or "I ain't do no drugs") but there was collected evidence of fentanyl pills with Floyd's saliva found in the car. One question being whether Floyd tried to hide the drugs by consuming them before the police found them. The cashier at the convenience store who called the police said that Floyd visibly appeared under the influence. I've seen the cc footage and the Floyd does appear to be weaving about as he stands in line.

2.) The testimony in the current trial in Hennepin County (which includes Minneapolis). The testimony I've read indicates that the coroner was concerned that his results would be met negatively because they didn't match the narrative already at play. I've seen some screenshots of the testimony but can't find a source. Heh, an "official" one, that is. That alone I find more than just somewhat suspicious. But the claim is that there was pressure for the autopsy to agree with the story that was already circulating.

I hope the full testimony will become available. What's typical and anti-hilarious is that there are LOADS of links to articles declaring Tucker Carlson is wrong in quoting the testimony but that also do not include the testimony. It's all quite suspicious in all the usual ways.

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Lekimball's avatar

Sure is right. He didn't murder the guy and he didn't intend to and he died of all the drugs he was on or he wouldn't have been saying he couldn't breathe while he was still in the car. Of course, logic doesn't matter to you, I imagine. Negligent homicide MIGHT have been reasonable or manslaughter closer. But not first degree murder. Insane.

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Lawyers Guns & Money's avatar

feldspar, I'm trying to determine which is most delusional: ptb, Ladyhawk, or Lekimball.

Do you suppose any of them read Taibbi's "I Can't Breathe"? Just another black criminal trying to get out of it. Dying had nothing to do with the cops.

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William Taylor's avatar

Why are you unable to factor in that Floyd's heart rate was elevated to 200 beats/minute, prior to the encounter with Chauvin, from the drugs in his system? Oh that's right, feelings.

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