[King Lear]

Gust Hubb, on 30 May 2020 - 01:32 AM, said:

Anyone know why the protests targeted CNN in Atlanta?

There's a police precinct inside it.

[LinearPhilosopher]

Malankazooie, on 30 May 2020 - 03:28 PM, said:

For the criminal justice knowledge base here (or those who have a background in the discipline) - what does a third-degree murder charge entail? Is that tantamount to a manslaughter charge?

The below from wiki. Honestly this feels more like 2nd degree but not a lawyer so what do i know.

Minnesota law originally defined third-degree murder solely as depraved-heart murder ("without intent to effect the death of any person, caus[ing] the death of another by perpetrating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind, without regard for human life").[7][8] In 1987, an additional drug-related provision ("without intent to cause death, proximately caus[ing] the death of a human being by, directly or indirectly, unlawfully selling, giving away, bartering, delivering, exchanging, distributing, or administering a controlled substance classified in Schedule I or II") was added to the definition of third-degree murder.[7][9] Up until the early 2000s, prosecutions under that provision were rare, but they began to rise in the 2010s. Some reports linked this increase in prosecutions to the opioid epidemic in the United States.[10]

Minnesota law also defines the crime of third-degree murder of an unborn child, with the same elements of depraved mind and lack of intent to kill distinguishing it from first- or second-degree murder of an unborn child.[11][12] Both third-degree murder and third-degree murder of an unborn child are punishable by a maximum of 25 years' imprisonment.[7][12]

[Malankazooie]

Just by the optics of the video, placing your knee on a handcuffed, prone man's neck for 8 min. demonstrates, to me, that it exceeds the above definition. In other words, to me, the video clearly shows intent.

[Terez]

Each degree is harder to prove and 3rd to 2nd won't make much of a difference in his sentence. Not enough of a difference to risk an acquittal.

[QuickTidal]

Terez, on 30 May 2020 - 06:21 PM, said:

Each degree is harder to prove and 3rd to 2nd won't make much of a difference in his sentence. Not enough of a difference to risk an acquittal.

^^This.

This is the AG Keith Ellison smartly making dammed sure the case is airtight and Chauvin goes down for this killing.

Also, did everyone see that new angle video that shows TWO of the cops are kneeling on him while Chauvin is on his neck? They didn’t just stand by...there were aparty to the death. They need charged too.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 30 May 2020 - 06:29 PM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Malankazooie, on 30 May 2020 - 03:50 PM, said:

It goes without saying, we'll be seeing a resurgence of the virus across many parts of America now.

Police indiscriminately using tear gas, pepper spray, and 'pepper bullets' on masses of protesters (often packed densely together, many not wearing masks)....

What are the odds Trump tries to blame the anti-racism/police brutality protesters for the second wave?...

If the black community suffers even more disproportionately, particularly among elderly people who are more likely to vote, Republicans may be disinclined to do much.

'The Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying

The pandemic has exposed the bitter terms of our racial contract, which deems certain lives of greater value than others.'

https://www.theatlan...showing/611389/

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 31 May 2020 - 06:53 AM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Since US insurers have been refusing to compensate businesses for the pandemic and the lockdowns, the destruction of buildings during the protests may actually benefit the affected businesses by making them eligible for insurance money (which can be particularly valuable during a recession, or for owners of businesses that have been becoming non-viable).

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 30 May 2020 - 10:06 PM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'According to Sven Eric Jordt, associate professor in anesthesiology at Duke University, tear gas can damage the respiratory system, which the coronavirus also attacks.

[....] The most important thing to do if you've been exposed to tear gas, Jordt said, is to move away from the source as quickly as possible. At first, someone affected by it will feel pain in their throat and face. Some people's eyes shut involuntarily as a reaction to it. There will be a lot of mucus production in the lungs, so there would be a lot of coughing [...] and gasping for breath is common.

[...] Jordt pointed to studies from the US Army that showed that recruits who had been exposed to tear gas were more prone to respiratory infections, like colds and the flu.'

https://www.buzzfeed...anitizer-safety

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 30 May 2020 - 10:48 PM

[HoosierDaddy]

The intent part here will always be the hardest to prove in Murder 1 and 2. My assumption (without the particulars of what Minnesota legal language is) is that it is equivalent to reckless homicide. Which is what I thought of first when I first heard the particulars of the case. Further evidence of prior bad acts (the records of cited brutality above), or witness testimony that can overcome a reasonable doubt as to the officer intending to deprive Floyd of life (which is tricky, but can be done with enough circumstantial evidence [see the records prior discussed] pointing that way) might make a charge 1 or 2 viable. But, just shooting off the hip I'd feel really safe charging murder 3 straight away and then altering as further evidence becomes available down the line.

This post has been edited by HoosierDaddy: 31 May 2020 - 01:29 AM

[EmperorMagus]

Sorry to bring the convo back to the rioting issue, but I thought this would be interesting to share:

https://www.facebook...ts/941183240798

Quote

Friends outside of our city watching the news and seeing it burn - please understand that you are NOT getting the full picture - not even close. From individuals, activists, and leaders we respect who have been on the front lines of the protest or filling support roles, we are hearing that a lot of the fires being started the last few nights (and probably even some on the night this all started) were NOT started by protestors. We have black-owned businesses in North that were burned last night - and we had zero protest actions occur on the Northside. These were targeted fires on very obviously black-owned businesses - those protesting police violence against black lives, did NOT start these. There are also white men captured on camera that protestors did not recognize starting some of these fires. Some of these are out-of-control, often white, protestors who aren't listening to black leaders who are telling them to stop (there have been some reports of this), or individuals willfully starting fires to turn opinion against the protests (again, some captured on video and clearly not with the protestors). Don't let them do this! No matter what, people are more important than property, and we should NEVER (I'm talking to my fellow white people here) critique how people express their anger and fear that they or their loved one could be next at the hands of a cop. But we also must realize that there are those who are supposedly "equally outraged by both" - the murder of George Floyd and the destruction of property. THOSE are the ones that these people are starting the fires for. Those are the ones they are hoping to muddle this issue for. Please don't let them do that either. If you hear folks critiquing the fires and looting, please share this info with them - much of it is not the protestors. Don't let this distract you from the real issue here - a black man's life was taken, our city's police force has a deeply racist history and a proven white nationalist at the helm of its union, and our black brothers and sisters have NEVER felt safe here. Those of us with privilege are just seeing this so starkly now, many for the first time.

Obviously, this is unconfirmed claims by a private individual and not a reputable news source, so take it with however much salt you want to take. However, from my work this past year on the freedom of assembly (I was working with a member of the Human Rights Committee in developing the HRC general comment on the topic), I know that agents provocateur are nothing new and have always been there. They are people who try to steer assemblies towards violence to deprive them of legitimacy and legal protection.

In fact, it is the State's responsibility under international law to stop such attempts at derailing peaceful assemblies and ensure individuals can assemble without threat of violence.

This post has been edited by EmperorMagus: 31 May 2020 - 01:47 AM

[Tsundoku]

@EM
Yah, I think there are a few videos about showing some of these agents provocateur. Plus there are the sheer nutjobs on both sides (or just their own) who like fires/looting.
And those wannabe demogogues who want to set the mob on whomever they want, feel the power etc. They start small to get people involved in smaller criminal actions and then by the time they've been hooked they're doing some fucked up shit.
They might even have started out as idealists too. Of course, the mob is fickle and can be pushed too far ...
This is just theorising, btw.

----------------------

On police reform, think these ideas will make a difference? Pretty interesting summary regardless.

https://twitter.com/...855519425384450

[Aptorian]

Just saw this video of police shooting what I'm assuming us rubber bullets at people watching the police from their front porch.

https://www.reddit.c...tm_source=share

There's already a lot of scary footage on Reddit and YouTube but if videos like these go viral, I'm scared for how bad this is going to get.

[Terez]

There are already literally dozens of videos of police escalating violence in cities all across the US being plastered all over social media. The cat is out of the bag.

To make matters worse, this is all going to result in a massive COVID spike within a couple of weeks, even if the protests end today, which I doubt.

[Garak]

Ok, what the hell is going on over there? This look utterly insane.

[Cause]

I realize this is not how America works but having a uniform code of police conduct, uniform training and uniform police laws would go a long way.

I’d say the police dept of NY or lose angels is better trained and equipped than say the police sept of Minneapolis. The one is the size of a small army with the budget to match and the other has 800 officers. Also under this decentralized system bad cops will float from PD to PD as they are forced to resign end.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'health experts who fear that silent carriers of the virus who have no symptoms could unwittingly infect others at gatherings with people packed cheek to jowl and cheering and jeering without masks.

"Whether they're fired up or not that doesn't prevent them from getting the virus" [...]

Images from many demonstrations show most protesters have been wearing [cloth] masks, but that doesn't guarantee protection from the coronavirus.

"I will continue to stress, because it seems like a lifetime ago: We are still in the middle of a pandemic and passed 1,000 deaths yesterday. We still have hospitals on the verge of being overrun with COVID-19," he said.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey echoed those concerns. "We have two crises that are sandwiched on top of one other"'

https://www.pbs.org/...MLYPUYcXwwMplJk

Using tear gas gives police an excuse to wear full-face gas masks, providing them with a perverse incentive... though they must have seen enough protesters being tear gassed to realize that it causes coughing and gasping. They're intentionally spreading the virus.

This is not social distancing:

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 31 May 2020 - 04:49 PM

[LinearPhilosopher]

So 2020 so far...

Australia is on fire
Near war between USA and Iran
Global Pandemic (still on going)
Cicadas expected to birth this year.
Giant Race riots...

and were only half way through the year...

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'Trump is demanding a packed Republican national convention with "no face coverings and no social distancing", North Carolina's governor's office has said.

[...] Mr Trump insisted on the lack of Covid-19 measures because he does not want to see signs of the pandemic in his renomination audience

[...] The Republican National Committee declined to comment'

https://www.independ...obox=1590844555

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 31 May 2020 - 06:26 PM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'Congresswoman Pepper-Sprayed by Police

In that moment, Ohio Representative Joyce Beatty said, she was just another black American attacked while protesting injustice.

[...] the 70-year-old Ohio congresswoman remembers having to use a different water fountain from the white people in her community, and having to swim in a different public pool. Throughout her life and political career, which began in the state legislature in the late '90s, she'd taken part in many civil-rights demonstrations.

But the pepper spray was new to her. It "shuts you down," she told me in an interview this morning. "It gets into your lungs. You're coughing profusely. You can't see."'

https://www.theatlan...utm_source=feed






'Police targeted journalists covering the George Floyd protests

Police hit reporters with tear gas and pepper spray.

[...] Across the country journalists have been targeted by police, facing arrest, detention and violence, including being pepper sprayed and shot by rubber bullets. Journalists were targeted by police in the Ferguson protests in 2015 and during the civil rights era, and that pattern of violence and arrests continued into this weekend's protests.

"something I've never seen in my career.

An armed officer shooting directly at our reporter @KaitlinRustWAVE and photographer @jbtcardfan during the protests in #Louisville."'

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 31 May 2020 - 08:26 PM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'This boy had his hands up when an NYPD ofcr pulled his mask down and pepper sprayed him.'

OTOH they're forcing people to stay inside for curfews in many cities (6 PM curfew locally):



'Kerssen was complying with that order—the curfew applies only to public spaces, not private ones like residences, porches, or front yards—but she became a target anyway.'

They shot the person with her in the crotch.

Apparently anyone they see outside becomes target practice.

https://reason.com/2...he-first-place/

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 31 May 2020 - 09:28 PM