rhythmbandit
User
So this has exploded over in the states and the video is spreading like wildfire around the world. What a grim, sad story. #icantbreathe is also trending, some of his final words. 

The frequency of this kind of thing happening is just disheartening. It feels like not a week goes by without the police killing another black man or woman. And with the current government you just know nothing will be done (I mean nothing was done during the Obama era).
not a day goes by on reddit without a video of American police killing a black person trending. it's fucking awful and scary what kind of supremacist people they admit to their police and military forces
well, a police station in Minneapolis is on fire now and Trump's tactics are as tactless as ever...
There was also this incident from a few days
The venom in which she says “I’ll call the police and tell them that an African American man is threatening me”
What the fuck happens in November if he loses?
Wheres the debate? He was murdered.
I find it near impossible to articulate how angry this makes me but I am also at a loss to work out how to do something positive that isn't just throwing a few quid at something.
I do try to be careful as sometimes there’s a fine line between ally and pseudo white saviour. Of course you can’t help but express outrage, but being thousands of miles away and with no actual platform to make a difference, what can the rest of the world say or do?
Right. I fail to see how using deadly force for suspected FORGERY (surely the most quintessential nonviolent crime) is anything but murder when there is no evidence he was resisting or an armed threat. I'd say it was manslaughter but surely nine to ten minutes of kneeing someone's neck is premeditated murder.Seriously some people are arrested and charged on the spot when just “under suspicion” of violating traffic laws. What the hell is the delay?
The police officer standing in the way of cameras is also premeditated.Right. I fail to see how using deadly force for suspected FORGERY (surely the most quintessential nonviolent crime) is anything but murder when there is no evidence he was resisting or an armed threat. I'd say it was manslaughter but surely nine to ten minutes of kneeing someone's neck is premeditated murder.
The straw hat riot sounds reasonable.This Twitter thread is worth a look:
I watched the video and realized I won't be able to watch the next one, I can't consume any more black death. They tortured and killed him right there in the street, he was laying there begging for air and his life, and it slipped away.
He was charged with third-degree murder which is basically an act of indifference to human life without the explicit intent to kill. It's usually reserved for drug dealers who sell opioids and other narcotics that inadvertently kill their user. This is confusing to me because the officer should have never used force on a non-violent (suspected) criminal in the first place, let alone deadly force. It's basically like killing a prostitute for no reason. This is literally first degree murder. If he's convicted and not killed in prison he will absolutely get out with plenty of years of freedom. This sets an awful precedent even if it is better than no consequences at all.FINALLY arrested, but not sure about the accomplices. Should really have been marched out of his home in cuffs and paraded around on camera though:
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/29/us/minneapolis-george-floyd-friday/index.html
My understanding is that a defendant can be charged with multiple variations of murder and manslaughter and the jury ultimately decides which charge, if any, fits the requisite intent. That's how it is in my local state (Michigan) and many other states but I'm not sure about Minnesota to be fair. Premeditation can develop over a long period of time or the course of a few moments during the act itself as that article puts it. The prosecution will have a difficult time prosecuting any law enforcement killing, but their closing statement is that grotesque nine minute video. I think reasonable minds could convict first degree murder - maybe not but I feel like it should be on the jury verdict form with the third degree charge if possible in Minnesota.Is it though? There’s normally an extremely high barrier for first degree murder - premeditation, killing whilst raping etc.
EDIT: Here’s a good article on the charging decision.