The Verdict
Late in the afternoon on Tuesday, April 20, the word was out, and it spread like the proverbial wildfire. The verdict in the Derek Chauvin murder case was in, and it would be announced at any minute on live television.
For me it was a clear case of déjà vu because the last time I had felt like this was nearly 26 years ago on Oct. 3, 1995, when my heightened anticipation dropped like a bombshell. After deliberating for only four hours, the jury in the O.J. Simpson case brought in a not guilty verdict in the killing of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman despite the compelling mountain of evidence against him.
I think the jury in the Simpson case brought in the wrong verdict. Would the jury in the Chauvin case make the same mistake? The tension in Minneapolis was stretched to the breaking point. Many of the buildings in downtown were boarded in anticipation of the demonstrations that surely would follow an unpopular verdict.
Suddenly the moment was here. The judge had the Chauvin verdict in his hands, and he was going to read it. Minneapolis took in a huge breath and held it. The judge unfolded a piece of paper, and the verdict spilled out as the judge read.
On the charge of second-degree unintentional murder (maximum sentence of 40 years): GUILTY! On the charge of third-degree murder (maximum sentence of 25 years): GUILTY! On the charge of second-degree manslaughter (maximum sentence of 10 years): GUILTY!
GUILTY! GUILTY! GUILTY!
Three for three, and the crowd in the town began celebrating while in the courtroom, a subdued Derek Chauvin stood, put his hands behind his back for handcuffs to be applied, and he was led out of room as Eric Nelson, his lead defense attorney, looked on helplessly.
Although the victory celebration lasted into the night, we must not forget that there probably be all kinds of appeals, and it could be a long time before Chauvin actually begins serving whatever his sentence ultimately is. The judge said sentencing will be in eight weeks. Stay tuned for details about that.
One thing about the verdict really puzzles me: Why did the jury need 11 hours to bring in a guilty verdict? I don’t know what the world record for watching a murder is, but millions of people saw Chauvin kill Floyd either on live TV, or on television news clips. For me the verdict was a no brainer. I hate to think what would have happened if the jury had brought in an acquittal. Unlike the Simpson trial, in this one the jury upheld the concept of justice. They got it right. Congratulations!
How Many COVID Cases?
So you think the pandemic is over? Try telling that to the people of India. They might quote Lee Corso in saying, “Not so fast my friend!” Last Thursday India had 314,835 COVID cases, and if that were not enough, the next day 332,730 new cases and 2,263 deaths were recorded. That brings India’s total to more than 16 million cases, second only to whom? You guessed it – the United States with 32 million cases. Certainly that’s not a record of which to be proud.
A Flying What?
If you plan to travel to Daytona Beach, Fla., in the near future, you may want to be very careful. Recently 71-year-old woman was riding on the Sunshine State’s Interstate 95 when suddenly something smashed through the windshield and hit her in the head. The daughter pulled off to the side of the road and received help from another motorist. The woman sustained a nasty gash in her forehead, but was not seriously injured.
So what happened? The 911 recording revealed a man exclaiming, “There’s a turtle in here!” And the daughter responded, “A turtle? An actual turtle?” Apparently the turtle was in the road when a passing car hit it, knocking it into the air and subsequently into the other car’s windshield. The woman was patched up, and the turtle, which suffered only a few scratches on its shell, was released into the woods by the police officer who was called to the scene.
Daytona authorities should put up a roadside sign saying, “Beware of Flying Turtles.”
Ponder This:
The statistics on sanity say that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends — if they’re okay, then it’s you.
