Criminal Case: State of Minnesota v. Derek Michael Chauvin

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Criminal Case: State of Minnesota v. Derek Michael Chauvin
The case under analysis is still quite famous and continues to attract attention from all over the world. When Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd's neck on the 25th of May 2020, he did not know that his actions would attract the entire world's attention. However, as soon as the video of him kneeling on the neck of George Floyd hit the internet, almost all nations of the world were up in arms in protest. People from all walks of life protested peacefully against police brutality that was evidently getting out of hand.
What are the crimes the person is being accused of in a court of law? What are the elements of each of these crimes?
Derek Chauvin was accused of killing George Floyd. Three charges were brought against him, including the second-degree murder charge, third-degree murder charge, and the second-degree manslaughter charge.
The second-degree murder charge is one that is brought against someone who kills another person without the intention of killing them. However, the offender's actions will only qualify as second-degree murder charges if they are adjudged to have killed a person unintentionally while in the process of committing another crime. So, even though the murder is unintentional, an offender is found guilty because they were committing another felony. Therefore, their actions are deemed apt for a second-degree murder charge. For Chauvin, he did fit the profile because even though he was not intentionally trying to kill George Floyd, he was kneeling on his neck, which is unconventional. The kneeling shows that he was indeed trying to inflict harm on George Floyd, and though inadvertent, he ended up killing him in the process.
On the other hand, the third-degree charge is one that involves unintentional murder. The difference with the second-degree murder charge is that the offender was not trying to commit another crime. However, the murder fits the third-degree murder charge because the actions of the offender show no regard for human life. In the State of Minnesota v. Derek Chauvin, Chauvin's actions do fit the profile of this charge because it could be argued that he was only trying to restrain George Floyd. However, the act of kneeling shows no regard for human life, and hence the guilty verdict.
Lastly, according to the Minnesota Statutes (2020), the second-degree manslaughter charge is brought about by the offender's "culpable negligence." To fit the profile, one must be actively trying to cause bodily harm to another person or death. In the case at hand, Chauvin does fit the profile because his action of kneeling on George Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes was indeed an action that created an unreasonable risk to Floyd and ultimately led to his death.
What type of defense did the accused have in a court of law? What types of defenses could the accused have raised in a court of law? Explain each.
According to Levenson (2021), the accused's defense was made up of three arguments. These arguments included the "other causes theory, the force is unattractive theory, and the hostile crowd theory." The defense attorney tried to argue each of these three as he sought to get Chauvin acquitted of the three charges.
The other causes theory is one that challenged the cause of death of George Floyd. The defense attorney argued that George Floyd's death did not come about as a result of Derek Chauvin's actions. The defense focused on Floyd's underlying heart issues and his history of drug use. The attorney argued that George Floyd did not die from the lack of oxygen as it was being reported. He said that the victim's heart condition and the ingestion of drugs "acted to further compromise an already compromised heart" (Levenson, 2021).
Aside from the above, the force is unattractive theory was also used to try and have Chauvin acquitted. The defense argued that the use of force is necessary while in the line of duty for police officers. Also, the defense argued that such instances could be 'unattractive,' especially when filmed. The defense sought to communicate the point that Chauvin was simply trying to act in accordance with his training. His actions were not only ordinary but within what the police force considers necessary and right.
Lastly, the defense used the hostile crowd theory, which sought to argue that the crowd's hostility acted as a hindrance to Chauvin acting in accordance with his training. The idea here is that the hostility of the crowd made it difficult for Chauvin to execute his duties and care for Floyd. Thus, the threat of the crowd was argued as a clear-cut obstruction to the process of apprehending Floyd and following due process while restraining him.
One other defense that the defense attorney could have adopted involves the defense of necessity. Arnolds and Garland (1975) note that this type of defense involves the admission of guilt but under the pressure of circumstances that justify an act as necessary. In Chauvin's case against the ...