Derek Chauvin found guilty on all counts in death of George Floyd

The former officer was found responsible for the May 2020 death of Floyd.

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all three counts in the death of George Floyd.


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'This wasn't policing, this was murder ... there is no excuse': Schleicher

Schleicher ended his closing statement by emphasizing that Chauvin’s actions were "not policing" but rather murder, urging the jury to trust their eyes and gut.

"The defendant is guilty of all three counts. All of it. And there’s no excuse," Schleicher said.

Chauvin’s defense attorney Eric Nelson will give his closing argument after a 20-minute break.


Chauvin displayed 'conscious indifference' in his encounter with Floyd: Schleicher

Schleicher played the portion of the cellphone video where Floyd asked Chauvin for water and told him he could not breathe to show that Chauvin was indifferent to the distress Floyd was in.

Chauvin displayed "conscious indifference" to Floyd as he "leisurely" picked rocks out of a tire and commented on the smell of Floyd’s feet, even as Floyd’s voice became weaker, Schleicher said. Chauvin also ignored Floyd’s pleas and failed to provide medical attention, Schleicher added.

"This isn't protection," Schleicher said. "This isn't courage. And it certainly -- certainly is not and was not compassion. It was the opposite of that."


The state does not have to prove Chauvin intended to kill Floyd, prosecutor says

Chauvin’s actions were intentional because he knew that kneeling on Floyd’s neck was dangerous and an unlawful use of force, Schleicher said.

"We don't have to show that the Defendant intended to kill him," he said. "The only thing about the defendant's intent that we have to prove is that he applied force to George Floyd on purpose, that this wasn't an accident."


'Common sense' that Floyd died because Chauvin pressed down on his lungs, state says

Floyd died because of a low level of oxygen, not because of a drug overdose or a preexisting heart condition, as the defense attempted to portray, Schleicher said.

"'Die of a drug overdose,' that's not common sense, that's nonsense," Schleicher said.

The prosecutor continued, "Believe your eyes. What you saw happened, happened. It happened. The defendant pressed down on George Floyd so his lungs did not have the room to breathe."