Trial of the Century...

What verdict will the jury return:

  • Guilty: Second-degree murder

    Votes: 8 16.3%
  • Guilty: Third-degree murder

    Votes: 5 10.2%
  • Guilty: Second-degree manslaughter

    Votes: 25 51.0%
  • Not Guilty: All Charges

    Votes: 4 8.2%
  • Hung Jury

    Votes: 7 14.3%

  • Total voters
    49
  • Poll closed .
No surprise, the jury most likely thought that their lives were in danger making any other decision. I felt that there was enough reasonable doubt where a murder conviction shouldn't happen, but the extra pressure on the jury most likely made this decision an easy one for them.
 
I'm glad this is over (or mostly over). It will be interesting to see the sentencing on this case. Do they add all three charges together or is it just the top charge? They said sentencing guidelines are 12 years for the top charge due to his history of no criminal behavior. Setting the sentencing for 8 weeks out is probably a good thing.

I'm a little surprised that they came back with all three but feel that the political pressure was enough to make this the right decision. The appeal will be interesting to watch.
 
If cops were ever abolished, I would make it a personal mission to rob everyone who tweeted #abolishthepolice
 
The ones that did yes, why would that be any different than all of the scumbags that destroyed cities coast to coast last summer?
Or maybe you are using a false equivalency to to try to minimize or excuse the vast destruction?
If so you are a hypocrite.
then how come you were silent on that matter?
 
Blue code of silence is no more. I mean that hurt him tremendously that his own said 'The dude up. Kneeling for another 3 + minutes after the guy was dead wasn't going to make it easy for acquittal or garner any It's a really " tough job " sympathy either. Split second decisions rarely result in any convictions and most cops walk . I was thinking 5-7 year sentence at first , but his defense team had little to work with and when the VERY rare occurrence of cops testifying against their own happened in full force? Curtains . The defense in their closing asking for a replay of the video tape was puzzling as well . Dude is done . Nothing to appeal really either.
 
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ill go with the jury verdict. however, political pressure has no business in a trial, if there was any undue influence on the jury this is a bad day.
I don’t doubt there was, even if there were no direct threats, they knew the implications of a not guilty verdict
 
Given this verdict, those other 3 officers will probably be working hard for a plea bargain.

I can see the State saying "No, we're taking it to trial".
 
Given this verdict, those other 3 officers will probably be working hard for a plea bargain.

I can see the State saying "No, we're taking it to trial".
They got the big fish, I can’t imagine they feel like having this story carry on continuously for the next few years.
 
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