If I were the prosecutor in the closing argument, I might put it something like the following.
"Lets take a hypothetical argument. Lets say a bank robber goes into a bank, has never met the 65 year old overweight teller who is an alcoholic with a heart condition. Lets say he doesn't have a gun, but hands the teller a note that reads "I have a gun, fill a bag with money". That threat is going to raise anyone's adreniline and could cause a heart attack based on the mitigating health issues. Did the bank robber shoot the teller? No, but the interaction greatly contributed to the teller's death."
I think the M.E.'s assesment of homicide is correct. I don't see how one can get arround that and all the videos and witnesses. The medical witnesses are in agreement that the state of his health and drug use was not the majority factor, but in that the interaction with police was a major factor.
Bottom line the officers were on him for over 9 minutes, with Chauvin's knee on his neck, and for at least 3 minutes of which George was motionless, no pulse. And he didn't get any real aid until he was in the back of the ambulance.
We'll have to wait for the defense witnesses, but I really don't see how the defense gets past what has been presented so far.
"Lets take a hypothetical argument. Lets say a bank robber goes into a bank, has never met the 65 year old overweight teller who is an alcoholic with a heart condition. Lets say he doesn't have a gun, but hands the teller a note that reads "I have a gun, fill a bag with money". That threat is going to raise anyone's adreniline and could cause a heart attack based on the mitigating health issues. Did the bank robber shoot the teller? No, but the interaction greatly contributed to the teller's death."
I think the M.E.'s assesment of homicide is correct. I don't see how one can get arround that and all the videos and witnesses. The medical witnesses are in agreement that the state of his health and drug use was not the majority factor, but in that the interaction with police was a major factor.
Bottom line the officers were on him for over 9 minutes, with Chauvin's knee on his neck, and for at least 3 minutes of which George was motionless, no pulse. And he didn't get any real aid until he was in the back of the ambulance.
We'll have to wait for the defense witnesses, but I really don't see how the defense gets past what has been presented so far.
