‘He Was Guilty’: Alternate Juror Talks With
CBS News About Chauvin Trial Verdict

I'm sure she is safe now to walk through there.

I would not doubt that there was evidence to convict the officer of a reckless endangerment or a manslaughter charge, after all, his actions were shown to be a contribution (perhaps not the sole cause) of Mr Floyd's sudden demise. I remember soon after I moved to Texas in the late 70s, early 80s, that there was a case where a local thug beat up a kid coming off a school bus. In my old age, I can't remember the sequence of events, but somewhere in the scuffle, the kid just dropped dead. The then-incompetent medical examiner ruled that the death was of natural causes, but he was quickly overruled by other experts. It may have been that the victim was a ticking time bomb for sudden death, but that the pummelling by the thug didn't help. Tough luck for him. And it may be the same case here in the officer's instance. 75 years in solitary may not be the correct sentence, but yeah, I'd have found him guilty of something involving Mr Floyd's death.

She's clearly not interested in facts, just interested in the propaganda. Really sad, and frightening that people like this hold other people's lives in their hands, and act so irresponsibly.

#2, I can't disagree more.

“I felt” “I felt” Your “feelings” are what’s gone wrong in America..you idiots always “feel” things that we normals laugh at..yet your “feelings” are what gets you into trouble and ends up ruining our law and order and civility! Do you ever “think” or do you just “feel”???

I still do not understand how one man died and they convicted the Officer with 3 different charges because of that death. It was either Murder 2 Murder 3, Or manslaughter, but no way in hell can it be all three.

“I felt he was guilty”. There’s the problem right there - jurors aren’t supposed to feel. They are supposed to analyze the evidence with their brains - they are supposed to THINK.

#2~ Officer Chauvin’s defense attorney, Eric Nelson, “showed a video from police body-worn cameras from a different angle showing DEREK CHAUVIN’S KNEE WAS ON FLOYD’S SHOULDER AND UPPER BACK, NOT HIS NECK.” Published reports indicate Mr. Floyd “had a deadly cocktail of drugs in his system. It’s believed that this same cocktail of meth and fentanyl are what sent Floyd to the hospital, where he nearly died, only two months before. Fentanyl causes asphyxia. ... Pills were found in the Mercedes SUV and the police squad car, where Floyd had been for a brief time, had meth and fentanyl in them, which he was believed to have eaten to hide evidence from cops.” According to Mr. Floyd’s girlfriend’s testimony, “he was using drugs again after a short sober period.” Mr. Floyd had been with his drug dealer when the police officers arrived at the scene. Officer Chauvin weighed 140 pounds and is 5’9”. Mr. Floyd weighed 223 pounds and was 6’4”. The three officers as well as officer Chauvin “acted entirely according to the training and guidance provided them by the Minneapolis Police Department.” Mr. Floyd was placed in what is called “the recovery position to alleviate positional asphyxia” with Officer Chauvin “kneeling on the side of the suspect’s neck.” Mr. Floyd “was at imminent risk of death from sudden cardiac arrhythmia caused by excited delirium. So it was that these officers followed the MPD’s official procedures for how to properly and safely subdue someone in that life-threatening condition. In doing so, they were not only keeping Floyd in the prescribed “recovery position” to alleviate his risk of asphyxiation, they were also keeping an agitated and delirious Floyd from harming himself as they awaited the arrival of the ambulance that they had twice summoned to provide medical aid to him.”

What's in the water in Minneapolis? None of them have any common sense.

I watched nearly every minute of both the jury selection and the trial. I am not convinced that the charges brought against Officer Chauvin were correct, but I am convinced that maximum force should not have been maintained when the victim was not sentient and no pulse could be found. I have heard law enforcement officials from around the country (and certainly in MPLS) who do not support Chauvin for that same reason. Police officers actually do have a responsibility towards suspects in their custody. Would we really want it different? Keith Ellison overcharged Chauvin and I hope that there is a retrial. But golly, at least one other officer suggested turning GF, more than once, so Chauvin actually did have opportunities to reconsider his use of force. As for excited delirium, one of the witnesses testified about the signs and symptoms of this condition and quite frankly, GF did not exhibit this. He was, to the untrained store clerk, under the influence but no one at the scene witnessed delirious behavior. Stupid behavior, for sure, but not even close to delirious. It's very difficult to put aside preconceived notions (ie either support for law enforcement or animus towards it) and to put aside the emotions raised by the onlookers. I am not convinced that the jury systematically reviewed the evidence presented in order to reach an unemotional verdict. I hope there is a new trial. But Chauvin must take responsibility for not adjusting his behavior as GF slipped into unconsciousness. Ramona the (momentarily stoic) Pest

Boy, what a difference in postings between #8 and #10. I am not convinced by #10. So George Floyd has a deadly cocktail of drugs in his system and you expect me to believe that "excited delirium" was not present?

Based on the definition of excited delirium and the description of it given by an expert witness, GF did not exhibit this. Sometimes the facts are not on our side. It sure hurts when this happens but I don't want to be part of any mob. I would gladly reconsider this conclusion if someone can post a different definition with more examples of what it means. But given what was presented at the trial, I (sadly) have to agree that GF was not delirious. Agitated, yes. Under the influence, yes. Delirious, no. RtP

#8,#10,#11,#12~ With sincere and utmost respect for perspectives presented, the following is submitted simply in response to life not being textbook. The expert in forensic medicine “testified that he believes excited delirium is real. But he said Floyd met none of the 10 criteria developed by the American College of Emergency Physicians. A minimum of six signs are required for the diagnosis,...” Efforts to find a full transcript of his testimony have been elusive; he stated that a minimum of six signs are required to diagnose excited delirium, but seemingly did not identify the ten signs. According to one of this country’s most respected medical institutions, there are two types of delirium: Hyperactive delirium: The person becomes overactive (agitated or restless). Hypoactive delirium: The person is underactive (sleepy and slow to respond). People can experience both types of delirium together. They can be extremely alert one minute and drowsy the next. Among the causes of delirium, “alcohol or illegal drug toxicity, overdose or withdrawal." “The different types of delirium produce different symptoms. Symptoms tend to start suddenly and get worse over the next few hours or days. A person with delirium may act like they’re intoxicated. The main symptom is being unable to pay attention. Symptoms tend to become worse in the evening, which is known as sundowning.” The forensic expert referenced the American College of Emergency Physicians and their criteria for excited delirium. According to a “White Paper Report on Excited Delirium Syndrome – ACEP Excited Delirium Task Force” dated September 10, 2009: “In modern times a law enforcement officer is often present with a person suffering from excited delirium because the situation at hand has degenerated to such a degree that someone has deemed it necessary to contact a person of authority to deal with it. Law enforcement officers are in a difficult and sometimes impossible position of having to recognize this as a medical emergency attempting to control an irrational and physically resistive person, and minding the safety of all involved. “Given the irrational and potentially violent dangerous and lethal behavior of an excited delirium subject, any law enforcement officer interaction with a person in this situation risks significant injury or death to either the law enforcement officer or the excited delirium subject who has a potentially lethal medical syndrome. This already challenging situation has the potential for intense public scrutiny coupled with the expectation of a perfect outcome. Anything less creates a situation of potential outrage. Unfortunately, this dangerous medical situation makes perfect outcomes difficult in many circumstances. “It is important for law enforcement officers to recognize that excited delirium subjects are persons with an acute, potentially life-threatening medical condition. ...” Without question this is a tragedy for the families of George Floyd, Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao.