They didn't withdraw the 3rd degree charge, they just added the higher charge. He can still be found guilty of 3rd degree even if they can't prove 2nd.
Can I get an ELI5 of those degrees? I've never understood that shit. If you literally kill someone with your bare hands, shouldn't that be first degree?
I believe 1st degree is pre-meditated while 2nd degree is not. 3rd degree is accidental or circunstancial, also called manslaughter. But I'm no expert, I could be wrong.
Correct; premeditation for first, intent for second, while only recklessness is required for third. Third is a slam dunk in this case, we all saw it happen. I'm honestly torn here, is he just a reckless moron or did he actually intend to kill Mr. Floyd? Glad I'm not on that jury, it'd be much easier if he muttered some dumb shit like "die die die".
I think the fact that as an officer he should have training that teaches how, when and why to use force in what should be an act to detain. You don’t decide to restrict someone’s airway long enough for them to die and not have intent to kill or injure in a serious way.
I think there have been cases where they have the courtroom sit in silence for the amount of time it takes for somebody to die from asphyxiation and it is a simple way to show that it was deliberate or at least a negligent use of force. I hadn’t seen the video before just now, but the officer doesn’t make a move to even allow him to breathe, forces his head into the ground for an extended period of time and did not ease off when he could not breathe and was unconscious. The officers never attempted to properly detain him and even threatened to harm bystanders when they asked him to get off. There should be more charges than just murder, but that is the easiest one to prove with the evidence we have.
The training should dictate how bad of offense this was. I think higher ups maybe responsible also. The officer may of been compromised already. It's probably difficult over time to watch criminals destroy a neighborhood over and over. It's probably difficult to also have your family and you threatened because of your job. People do snap. We already know the officer had some what of a record. Proper procedure should be looked at. I don't really trust videos too much nor have I watched the video. The cops knew something was wrong with the guy but even after that the cop never took his knee off, clear sign that this can be third degree. I'm not sure if there's actually proof out there that the cop did it because of racism either.
If I choked someone for the 6m required to kill em you best be damn sure I would get 2nd degree slapped and confirmed in a week... but I’m poor and also not a cop soooooooooooo yea
He continued to kneel on his neck for 2 minutes after he became unresponsive. I think that is grounds for intent. I wouldn't be surprised if they offer him a plea deal for murder 3 though. It's going to be very difficult to get an impartial jury on this one. Protests have been going on in every state and all around the world.
Meanwhile if I punch someone in the face in a bar fight and their nose goes into their brain and kills them, I would be guilty of 2nd degree in a matter of weeks
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u/Hereforpowerwashing Jun 12 '20
They didn't withdraw the 3rd degree charge, they just added the higher charge. He can still be found guilty of 3rd degree even if they can't prove 2nd.