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tiggerblue10 | 18:46 Fri 29th May 2020 | News
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52854025

The ex police officer seen on video kneeling on George Lloyd's neck has been charged with 3rd degree murder. Is that like manslaughter or is it an actual murder charge?

I hope this poor man's family get justice for him.
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Well I know that both you and the BBC are quoting Hennepin County Prosecutor Mike Freeman but "3rd degree murder", per se, doesn't actually exist within US Federal legislation. There are only two degrees:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1111

The BBC news report is further complicated by its introductory sentence, which states: "A former Minneapolis police officer has been arrested and charged with murder and manslaughter . . . ", which, given that there was only one victim, doesn't seem to make much sense.

I'm guessing that the Prosecutor was using professional slang, by referring to "involuntary manslaughter" as "third degree murder":
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1112
He's going to be charged with murder or accidental murder or something similar. That's what I'd expect to happen to someone that knelt on a man's neck until he died despite the fact that he was handcuffed and saying 'I can't breathe'.

His colleagues that stood by and didn't have the guts to say 'Go easy mate, perhaps stop kneeling on his throat, after all he's handcuffed and can't breathe' should also be charged as accessories to the same offence.
There is Third Degree Murder, in Minnesota at least.
"609.195 MURDER IN THE THIRD DEGREE.

(a) Whoever, without intent to effect the death of any person, causes the death of another by perpetrating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind, without regard for human life, is guilty of murder in the third degree and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 25 years.

(b) Whoever, without intent to cause death, proximately causes 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, is guilty of murder in the third degree and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 25 years or to payment of a fine of not more than $40,000, or both."

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/609.195
Tomus, you are assuming that they actually wanted to tell their mate to ease off but were afraid to. For all we know, they might have been just as much a rotten apple as their colleague. Do they have guilt by association in the USA? All of them need to go away for a long, long time, imho.
1st degree murder is premeditated. He was always going to be charged with 2nd or 3rd degree (which is a 'thing' in the US)
Hasn't been convicted yet.
I wish the powers that be good luck in finding jury members who haven't seen the footage of the cop choking the life out of the poor guy.
What's the betting that his lawyer will get him off based on "no fair trial possible because of media coverage".
The manslaughter charge is Second Degree Manslaughter.

"609.205 MANSLAUGHTER IN THE SECOND DEGREE.

A person who causes the death of another by any of the following means is guilty of manslaughter in the second degree and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than ten years or to payment of a fine of not more than $20,000, or both:

(1) by the person's culpable negligence whereby the person creates an unreasonable risk, and consciously takes chances of causing death or great bodily harm to another; or

(2) by shooting another with a firearm or other dangerous weapon as a result of negligently believing the other to be a deer or other animal; or

(3) by setting a spring gun, pit fall, deadfall, snare, or other like dangerous weapon or device; or

(4) by negligently or intentionally permitting any animal, known by the person to have vicious propensities or to have caused great or substantial bodily harm in the past, to run uncontrolled off the owner's premises, or negligently failing to keep it properly confined; or

(5) by committing or attempting to commit a violation of section 609.378(neglect or endangerment of a child), and murder in the first, second, or third degree is not committed thereby.

If proven by a preponderance of the evidence, it shall be an affirmative defense to criminal liability under clause (4) that the victim provoked the animal to cause the victim's death."

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/609.205

I also read that Minnesota is one the few States to have more than two degrees of murder.
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Thanks all.

Should he be charged with 2nd degree murder?
would he be in solitary confinement if jailed?
Looks like there might be some trouble brewing in Times Square: https://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/timessquare/?cam=tsrobo1
I read somewhere (I genuinely cannot remember where) that Floyd and Chauvin knew each other and prior to this tragic event, worked together in a nightclub. In the incident that lead to Floyd's death, it is pretty obvious to all but the most contrarian of viewers that Chauvin (who has apparently now been arrested and charged with murder) deliberately killed Floyd by wilfully asphyxiating him.

Assuming the aforementioned personal relationship is correct, the question is: what would Chauvin gain from killing Floyd? Given that Floyd was allegedly arrested on suspicion of forgery, it does rather beg another question: did Chauvin have some criminal involvement with Floyd prior to him becoming a police officer? Did the arrest of Floyd present an opportunity for Chauvin to permanently silence someone with whom he had previously been involved in criminal activity? Covering his tracks so to speak?

All of the above is wild speculation at this time. The alleged prior association of these two individuals does beg a multitude of questions if true though.

Given the information that I've been presented with at this time, I think there's quite a bit more to this story than just a simple case of police brutality.

Just sayin'.
Cooor. Did you just watch 'Internal Affairs' just finished on BBC1 starring Richard Gereand Andy Garcia. Bent cop money laundering and killing off all his accomplices when Garcia (IAD) investigates his activities. He kills his partners in crime so they can't whistleblow to IAD and implicate him.
You have just described the plot in your post. Go on tell me. You've seen the film before.
Retrocop - “... You have just described the plot in your post. Go on tell me. You've seen the film before.”

I have seen Internal Affairs. Years and years ago. I'd actually forgotten about it until you brought it up just now. Good film actually. I liked that Richard Gere was playing completely against type, having established himself as a romantic lead at the time. Brilliant actor.

Internal Affairs aside, my above post still stands. I'm rather perturbed by the allegation of a prior workplace relationship between Chauvin and Floyd.

Aren't you?
just to add to the plot, Retro.
Arrested cop's wife has filed for divorce. The arrested cop is also the brother-in-law of one of the other 3 cops.
↑ Crikey!
Lol The plot thickens. Just like the film and so close to real life.
// I'm rather perturbed by the allegation of a prior workplace relationship between Chauvin and Floyd.

Aren't you? //

Indeed I am. I can't wait for proper judicial process to take its course and see how a qualified criminal judge may deliberate on those facts.
Whatever the verdict it won't satisfy the looters for a while yet.
It's awful in places over there. the Gov of Ohio, Mike deWine (I kid you not) has activated the National Guard (ostensibly to protect Columbus and Cleveland) The Mayor of Salt Lake City has imposed an 8pm curfew.
The Gov. of Utah has activated their National Guard too.
Dear heavens.

Even a speedy trial won't appease some of the agitators, they'll carry on destroying.

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