One weak point I see is the prosecution has to show Chauvin actually was aware of a risk of death or grave bodily harm, not just that he should have been. How could he know this drugged up felon had a million medical things wrong with him that would cause him to die from something that would not kill a normal person?
It's Monday morning. 9:30 a.m.
Judge Cahill's 4-day break has run a little late (lawyerly as usual). It's time for a hearing before the jury enters the chambers. Prosecutor Blackwell steps up to the stand.
"Your Honor, the state has discovered some critical evidence over the weekend." Prosecutor Eldridge is visible in the frame, her wrinkled, witch-like face contorted in sadistic glee. Nelson objects, immediately. He's turning red and his collar is noticeably sweaty.
"Mr. Nelson, I'd like to hear the state out before dealing with any objections." Nelson fumes, but is silenced.
"Your Honor," Blackwell continues, face painted with a knowing smirk. "The state has received incontrovertible evidence that will break this case wide-open."
Cahill's ears perk up. Blackwell had just uttered the magic word, and the Midwestern judge is under the prosecutor's spell now. After a short 5-minite stretch break, Blackwell, seizing the opportunity, turns around and strides three majestic paces to the door behind him. He throws it open with a grand flourish, and from the doorway emerges a faintly glowing full body Google hologram of George Floyd himself. "I am the real George Floyd, returned to life through the power of Disney's cutting-edge holographic projection technology and the illustrious Google's powerful data collection." Nelson's head is in his hands, furious. He steals a glance at Floyd's brand new Nike shoes sporting the words "BLACK LIVES MATTER" on the sides. Hologram Floyd's red and blue striped Ralph Lauren polo shimmers as the words "NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE" flash holographically in front of it.
"Your Honor, George Floyd is here with a video that proves beyond a reasonable doubt that Derek Chauvin murdered GF in the first degree, and as such we would like to upgrade the charges."
Judge Cahill doesn't even respond, too taken aback at the glorious Black hologram before him, and merely nods his head, mouth agape. Derek Chauvin sinks in his chair, looking towards Eric Nelson for safety, but seeing only a chubby Midwesterner angrily sobbing into his hands. Hologram Floyd opens his eyes wide, and a video projection erupts from them. The video depicts two men, unmistakably GF and Chauvin, standing next to each other. Floyd in the video hands Chauvin a sheath of papers. "Apologies, Officer. Here are my medical records. Now if you'll excuse me, I am rather famished, so I'll be next door at Cup Foods if you's need me." Chauvin in the video snatches the papers, looks at them and reads aloud, "90% artery blockage and enlarged heart, huh? That'll make this dumb nigger easy to murder."
The video fast forwards until the point where George is pulled out of the squad car. Courtroom Chauvin steals a glance at rhe prosecutor's desk. Eldridge is staring at him, eyes wide and mouth half open with an enormous evil grin creeping over her twisted, knobby face. She nods slowly and draws her finger across her neck slowly and deliberately. The two other prosecutors are bowing to Blackwell, kissing his feet, and struggling to unbuckle his belt in a sign of submission.
Judge Cahill, still on board, says it's time for the mid-late-morning break. After about 35 minutes, the video resumes and Chauvin is seen leaping atop Floyd, who is screaming "I CAN'T BREATHE, NO JUSTICE NO PEACE, HANDS UP DON'T SHOOT!" Chauvin grabs the poor innocent Black man's bald head and shoves his face into the squad car's exhaust pipes, laughing wickedly. He grabs a concrete block from nearby and throws it with all his might onto Floyd's back, and then jumps up and down on the man's back. Video Floyd dies, weakly rattling out the words "My mother, who passed last year... Georgie's comin' home..." and the light vanishes from his eyes.
In the courtroom, Nelson finally finds the balls to shout, "Objection, Your Honor! This is absurd—" "Overruled, Counselor Nelson. I think this case has just been decided. I declare Derek Chauvin GUILTY of first degree murder. As such I sentence him to the death penalty. He will be burned on a pyre dedicated to Black Lives Matter." Nelson screeches, practically vibrating with rage. His young assistant stands up and slaps him in the face, walking over to Hologram Floyd and wraps her arms around him. The courtroom doors open to a crowd of cheering BLM protestors in the middle of setting fire to an office on the 18th floor. They flood the courtroom chanting, "No justice! No peace! Defund the police!" and carry the prosecution team out on their shoulders to the next trial, a case in which Blackwell is defending 3M from a lawsuit for putting asbestos in their COVID-safe face masks. Hologram Floyd throws Chauvin to the ground with a "Sorry, white boi," and puts him in the prone control position for 9 mins and 39 seconds under the full weight of his knee. Nelson is beaten down by the mostly white crowd and strapped to an upside-down crucifix, as is the now-dead Chauvin. Both are burned at the stake along with the entire Brooklyn center police department after a 2-hour break later that afternoon.
Anyway that's how I think Monday will go.
