Troubling Questions About Derek Chauvin

Troubling Questions about Derek Chauvin We’re troubled by Officer Derek Chauvin’s murder of George Floyd. We know what we saw. We know police departments have trouble removing bad cops. We know old school police officers "educate" suspects who resist arrest. Something about the 8 minutes 46 seconds on the neck just doesn’t make sense. Even if Derek Chauvin is racist, the intensity of his violence still doesn’t make sense. Question 1. Was it personal? We know both Chauvin and Floyd worked security at the El Rodeo Nuevo Nightclub, which was torched in the looting. Maya Santamaria, the former owner, didn’t think they crossed paths at the Club. Chauvin worked outside and Floyd inside. She said though that Chauvin would excessively use mace if there was a fight on nights with predominately African American events. He would mace everyone and not just the fighters. She said he acted differently with Latinos. David Pinney, a former coworker recently said Floyd and Chauvin “bumped heads” on many occasions when Floyd complained to Chauvin that he was excessively rough on blacks. They had “a history.” If so, we have first degree murder. The excessive force was personal and malicious. Question 2: What is in his personnel file? We know 18 incidents, 3 involving shooting, were investigated in his 19 years on the force. That is almost one/year. That seems excessively high! These files are undoubtedly in the hands of the FBI and federal prosecutors as well as the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. They know what’s in them. Question 3: Do these files show a pattern of excessive force? Question 4: Tied into Question 3, does Derek Chauvin have an anger management problem? Question 5: Do the files show a pattern of racism, at least anti-black racism? Derek Chauvin may or may not be totally or partially racist. I say that only because his soon to be ex-wife is a Laotian American Question 6: What does his estranged wife have to say? Kellie Chauvin originally said he was gentle under his exterior. What does she say now? Question 7: Why was he on the streets? I understand that pursuant to union contracts the disciplining of police officers is difficult, short of a felony in some states, but why wasn’t he riding the desk? Question 8: Why was he teamed up with Tao Thao, who also had a history of complaints (6 complaints in 8 years? Question 9: Why was an officer with his record a training officer? Question 10: The most critical question of all: What the Hell was he thinking? My answers as a not even amateur psychologist is that he is a bad cop, racist, at least to African Americans, with an anger management problem.

The New York Times' New Credo: "All the News That's Woke to Print."

The New York Times and Philadelphia Inquirer have crossed the line from objective reporting to abject wokeness. The mainstream media has leaned liberal for decades. President Nixon well-understood and felt the media’s bias. He once said to the media after losing the California governorship election in 1962 to incumbent Pat Brown: “You don’t have Nixon to kick around anymore!” Of course they did, with Nixon proving the maxim: “Just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you.’ The editorial pages are expected to be partisan, but the news section independent. The Wall Street Journal still maintains that wall. Op-eds could present alternative views. The New York Times and LA Times decided Donald Trump was unacceptable as President. They dropped any sheen of objective news, not yet reaching the depths of CNN and MSNBC. They crossed the Rubicon with the horrific homicide of George Floyd. The vast majority of Americans support the protests, marches, and demonstrations calling for Justice. But not riots, looting, arson, and violence. The riots were out of control in Minneapolis, Chicago and D.C. Senator Tom Cotton (R. Ark) penned an op-ed, published in the New York Times: “Send in the Troops.” His view was that under the Insurrection Act of 1807 the President has the power to call out the military to restore public order, a power which has been exercised scores of times in the nation’s history. James Bennet, the Opinions Editor of the New York Times, authorized the publication to present both sides in informing the public of the issues. That was not good enough for Times’ staffers. Bennet defended the publication, as did A.G. Sulzberger, the publisher of the Times, and Dean Baquet, Executive Editor. A.G. emailed the staff: “I believe in the principle of openness to a range of opinions, even those we may disagree with, and this piece was published in that spirit …. But it’s essential that we listen to and reflect on the concerns we’re hearing, as we would with any piece that is the subject of significant criticism. I will do so with an open mind.” A wonderful statement of a free and open press. The staff rebelled and subscribers cancelled subscriptions. Over 800 staffers signed a protest letter. Over 160 planned a virtual walkout. Staffers tweeted “Running this puts black @NYT staff in danger.” The staffer's missive said: “We believe his message undermines the work we do, in the newsroom and in opinions, and violates our standards for ethical and accurate reporting for the public’s interest. It also jeopardizes our journalists’ ability to work safely and effectively on the street.” Bennet, once a rising star at the Times, resigned. Sulzberger and Baquet apologized. The Times stated the op-ed’s editorial process did not “meet our standards.” Senator Cotton responded: “The New York Times editorial page editor and owner defended it in public statements but then they totally surrendered to a woke child mob from their own newsroom that apparently gets triggered if they’re presented with any opinion contrary to their own, as opposed to telling the woke children in their newsroom this is the workplace, not a social-justice seminar on campus.” He also tweeted “Does@nytimes have any standards left, beyond keeping the woke mob happy.” Senator Cotton, a Harvard Law School grad, is now a rising star in the Republican Party. Erik Wemple, media critic of the Washington Post, wrote: “Crisis of conviction at the New York Times.” He said that in only two days the Times had ‘alienated staffers, readers, liberals, conservatives, free-expression absolutists of all political persuasions and Tom Cotton.” “Standards”? The Times has published op-eds from the Taliban, Vladimir Putin, and Recep Erdogan. “Standards”? The Times bought into the bogus Russian Conspiracy Theory hook, line, and sinker. It has never apologized. It’s now official the Times has gone woke. The Woke Age of trigger warnings, safe spaces, micro aggressions, and White Privilege of the younger generation has taken over the media. They do not understand that there are two sides to every story and reasonable minds can disagree. For them, only one side exists; their’s is The Truth. Today’s educational system no longer exposes, much less teaches, critical analysis and critical thinking. Their education may be at the nation’s most prestigious institutions, but large gaps are missing, such as history and the Constitution. One of the challenges of a law professor today is getting law students to understand there are at least two sides to every story. Here’s the mindset of some of the Times staffers. New York Times Pulitzer Prize Winner Nikole Hannah-Jones in a CBS interview said: “I think we need to be very careful with our language. Yes, it is disturbing to see property being destroyed. It is disturbing to see people taking property from stores, but these are things. Violence is when an agent of the state kneels on a man’s neck until all of his life is leached out of his body. Destroying property, which can be replaced, is not violence.” Tell that to the minority business operators whose business has been destroyed. Her claim to a Pulitzer is the 1619 Project which posits America is built on slavery, which began in 1619. Bari Weiss, writer and opinion editor of the Times, explained the younger staff’s perspective: “The civil war inside the New York Times between the (mostly young) wokes the (mostly40+) liberals is the same one raging inside other publications and companies across the country. The dynamic is always the same. The Old Guard lives by a set of principles we can broadly call civil libertarianism. They assumed they shared the worldview with the young people they hired who called themselves liberals and progressives. But it was an incorrect assumption” She talked about the Times motto “all the news fit to print.” She said one group emphasizes “news” and the others “fit.” Let’s remember Jack Nicholson’s Line in A Few Good Men “You can’t handle the truth.” Stan Wischnowoski, editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer, also fell on his sword. He spent 20 years at the paper, helping it navigate through treacherous financial times. Doesn’t matter – no loyalty. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Inga Saffron, architecture critic, wrote an article on the future of Philadelphia’s buildings and civic infrastructure in light of the riots. He attached “Buildings Matter, Too” as the article’s headline. That was a mistake in these charged times. The staffers rebelled. They sent a letter to management: “An Open Letter From Journalists of Color at the Philadelphia Inquirer.” The gist “Things need to change.” Stan’s resignation accompanied by editorial apologies followed. The senior editors posted the headline was “offensive” and never should have run. All the News That’s Woke to Print!

The Gross Incompetence of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Has Been Costly to America.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is Grossly Incompetent Cities run through a gauntlet of mayors: conservative, progressive, competent, builders, imaginative, entrepreneurial, dull, conciliators, facilitators, incompetent, frugal, profligate, lazy, corrupt. New Yorkers elected Republican Rudy Giuliani after years of incompetent Democrats who drove up crime and rode the city into bankruptcy. He was succeeded by Michael Bloomberg, otherwise a progressive, but who knew New Yorkers needed law and order. We sometimes referred to as Democratic candidates decades ago as "Blow-dried liberals;" They all seemed to emerge from the same studio. Many of the candidates today are young, telegenic, empathetic, social justice warriors, full of promises. Several have been community organizers. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is one of them, as Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend. Many are ill-equipped mentally to handle a major crisis. Not ready for prime time. The question is: who’s the worst in at least modern American History. Contenders are many. The decision was close: Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis or New York Mayor Bill De Blasio. Who will go done in history with London Lord Mayor Thomas Bloodworth as the worst in history? Mayor De Blasio wins hands down as worst in New York City history, but he’s been consistently incompetent. New Yorkers expect the worst from Warren Wilhelm, Jr. He has underachieved expectations. Lord Mayor Thomas Bloodworth of London sets the mark globally. The young, inexperienced Bloodworth was Mayor on September 2, 1666 when a fire broke out in a bakery. The old cities built on wood were highly combustible. The preferred method of stopping urban fires was to form a firebreak by destroying structures in the fire’s path He refused to order the demolitions. Indeed, he thought the early fire was so weak that “Pish. A woman could piss on it.” He was worried about the costs of compensating owners whose houses would be destroyed. The result of his decision was the Great London Fire of 1666 which burnt for 73 days over 75% of London. 13,200 houses, 87 parish churches, and the great St. Paul’s Cathedral were destroyed. 70% of the city’s residents lost their homes. King Charles II ordered demolitions the next day, but it was too late. The mayor’s inaction was condemned in Samuel Pepy’s Journal. History has called his decision an “Act of Damnable Folly.” Ironically, Londoners had just survived the Great Plague of 1865. The Lord Mayor was responsible for destroying London. Mayor De Blasio has simply run New York City into the ground. The young, inexperienced Jacob Frey did not cause the protests; that was Derek Chauvin. The Mayor’s inaction set loose a paroxysm of national looting and rioting. The toll is still being added. The police have kept a tight boot on the inner cities for decades. The pressure builds, like a presser cooker. When it blows, it blows. The question is not why? We know why. The question is when! Mayor Frey’s immediate reaction to the killing of George Floyd was to condemn the homicide, promise reform in Minneapolis, and demand the four officers be arrested. So far, so good. But then riots and looting joined the protests. Rioters threatened Minneapolis’ Third Precinct Police Station on Wednesday. Police drove them off with tear gas, rubber bullets, and smoke bombs. The Mayor was asked by a reporter earlier that day: “What is your plan?” The Mayor had no answer. The rioters showed up the next night in greater strength. Mayor Frey had to make a decision – the most significant and consequential of his life. He ordered the police to abandon the Precinct as it was under attack. The mob quickly entered the station, looted it , and then torched it. The message was quickly sent throughout America. The police will not stop you! Go for it! And they did. The mob becomes explosive, frenzied, irrational, crazed, a force of its own. I wanted to add senseless and meaningless, but a lot of the looting is directed through the internet with flash mobs. The toll is still being totaled: Lives lost, police dead and injured. buildings torched, businesses destroyed, scores of police cars burnt, Molotov cocktails thrown at police, cars, and buildings. Here’s the significant toll in Minneapolis. The peaceful protestors for Black Lives Matter and Justice were swamped by the mob – an estimated $500 million in rebuilding costs. A large percent of the destroyed businesses were minority owned as was a $30 million low income structure under construction. Minorities are often the victims of urban riots. Thomas Bloodworth burnt London. Jacob Frey unleashed the mob across America. His explanation: “The symbolism of a building cannot outweigh the importance of life, of our officers or our public. We would not risk serious injury to anyone. “You know brick and mortar is not as important as life.” The Mayor had also blamed the riots on "white supremacists and outside agitators." The white supremacist claim got some initial national airplay, but it was clearly false. Governor Walz had to call out the National Guard on Thursday, taking Mayor Frey out of the picture. And now the cry to defund the police, starting with Minneapolis. A veto proof majority of the Board of Supervisors has vowed to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Force over the objections of Mayor Frey. Derek Chauvin will spend the rest of his life behind bars. The young, inexperienced Jacob Frey has to relive his decision. Even Mayor Frey’s constituents booed him the other day, but for not going far enough in dismantling the Minneapolis Police.

General Jim Mattis is Sorta Right About President Trump's Divisiveness, But for the Wrong Reasons

General Jim Mattis, former Secretary of Defense, has become the latest, media popular critic of President Trump. He said “President Trump is the first president in my lifetime who tries not to unite the American people – does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us …. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership.” He viewed unconstitutional the President’s threat of using military force. The Trump Presidency is divisive, especially to the Democrats, media, academia, and Hollywood. President Trump says and Tweets things even his ardent supporters wished he wouldn’t. Donald Trump is who Donald Trump is: a New York City streetwalker who will not back down, but fights back. His statements about using military force, if necessary, against the looters and rioters, is mostly divisive to the looters, rioters, and torchers. President Trump has clearly, unequivocally expressed his support for peaceful demonstrations. President Trump has clearly, unequivocally stated his outrage over the brutal killing of George Floyd. You probably don’t know it. Why? The media will not report anything favorable about President Trump. The media will not print anything outside their narrow view of the President. In case you missed it, this is the transcript of a ten minute expression of outrage and sympathy to the family, an expression of unity: Donald Trump: (00:00) I want to thank our great Vice President for your fearless and tireless commitment to fulfilling America’s destiny in space. Thank you very much, Mike. Great job. Great job. We’re all so grateful to Mike’s wonderful wife, Karen, for being here and for all she does for our country. Thank you. Thank you, Karen. Before going further on this exciting day for all America in space, I want to say a few words about the situation in Minnesota. The death of George Floyd on the streets of Minneapolis was a grave tragedy. It should never have happened. It has filled Americans all over the country with horror, anger and grief. Yesterday, I spoke to George’s family and expressed the sorrow of our entire nation for their loss. I stand before you as a friend and ally to every American seeking justice and peace and I stand before you in firm opposition to anyone exploiting this tragedy to loot, rob, attack and menace. Healing, not hatred, justice, not chaos, are the mission at hand. Donald Trump: (01:41) The police officers involved in this incident have been fired from their jobs. One officer has already been arrested and charged with murder. State and federal authorities are carrying out an investigation to see what further charges may be warranted, including against sadly, the other three. In addition, my administration has opened a civil rights investigation and I have asked the Attorney General and the Justice Department to expedite it. I understand the pain that people are feeling. We support the right of peaceful protestors and we hear their pleas, but what we are now seeing on the streets of our cities has nothing to do with justice or with peace. The memory of George Floyd is being dishonored by rioters, looters and anarchists. The violence and vandalism is being led by Antifa and other radical left wing groups who are terrorizing the innocent, destroying jobs, hurting businesses and burning down buildings. Donald Trump: (02:59) The main victims of this horrible, horrible situations are the citizens who live in these once lovely communities. The mobs are devastating the life’s work of good people and destroying their dream. Right now, America needs creation, not destruction, cooperation, not contempt, security, not anarchy and there will be no anarchy. Civilization must be cherished, defended, and protected. The voices of law abiding citizens must be heard and heard very loudly. We cannot and must not allow a small group of criminals and vandals to wreck our cities and lay waste to our communities. We must defend the rights of every citizen to live without violence, prejudice, or fear. We support the overwhelming majority of police officers who are incredible in every way and devoted public servants. They keep our city safe, protect our communities from gangs and drugs and risk their own lives for us every day. Donald Trump: (04:22) No one is more upset than fellow law enforcement offices by this small handful who failed to abide by their oath to serve and protect. My administration will stop mob violence and we’ll stop it cold. It does not serve the interest of justice or any citizen of any race, color, or creed for the government to give into anarchy, abandoned police precincts, or allow communities to be burned to the ground, won’t happen. Those making excuses or justifications for violence are not helping the downtrodden, but delivering new anguish and new pain. From day one of my administration, we’ve made it a top priority to build up distressed communities and revitalize our crumbling inner cities. We fought hard with Senator Tim Scott ___ and many others to create opportunity zones, helping to draw a surge of new investment to the places in our country that need it most. Donald Trump: (05:45) We must all work together as a society to expand opportunity and to create a future of greater dignity and promise for all of our people. We must forge a partnership with community leaders, local law enforcement and the faith community to restore hope. Radical left criminals, thugs, and others all throughout our country and throughout the world, will not be allowed to set communities ablaze. We won’t let it happen. It harms those who have the least, and we will be protecting those who have the least. The leadership of the National Guard and the Department of Justice are now in close communication with state and city officials in Minnesota and we’re coordinating our efforts with local law enforcement all across our nation. In America, justice is never achieved at the hands of an angry mob. I will not allow angry mobs to dominate, won’t happen. It is essential that we protect the crown jewel of American democracy, the rule of law and our independent system of justice. Donald Trump: (07:15) Every citizen in every community has the right to be safe in their workplace, safe in their homes and safe in our city streets. This is the sacred right of all Americans that I am totally determined to defend and will defend. My administration will always stand against violence, mayhem and disorder. We will stand with the family of George Floyd, with the peaceful protestors and with every law abiding citizen who wants decency, civility, safety, and security. We are working toward a more just society, but that means building up, not tearing down. Donald Trump: (08:03) But that means building up, not tearing down, joining hands, not hurling fests, standing in solidarity, not surrendering to hostility. Moments ago as we went and just the launch of two great American astronauts into space, we were filled with the sense of pride and unity that brings us together as Americans. That same spirit, which powered our astronauts to the moon has also helped lift our country to ever greater heights of justice and opportunity throughout our history. So today, as we mark a renewed commitment to America’s future in space, a tremendous commitment it is. Let us also commit to a brighter future for all of our citizens right here on earth. When Americans are united, there is nothing we cannot do. From day one of my administration, we put America first. Does not sound like a President preaching divisiveness! The New York Times and Los Angeles Times clearly, unequivocally expressed their opposition to President Trump right after the election. The media basically said they would not just do anything to oppose, but also destroy his Presidency. If Donald Trump were the second coming of Jesus Christ (I don’t think he is), they would call him Satan. They took out Nixon. They think they can take out Trump. Whatever it takes: Edit comments out of context Ignore history and facts Provide a forum to Representative Adam Schiff, the 21st Century Tail Gun Joe McCarthy. Never apologize for a mistake The New York Times, Washington Post, and the New York Times with CNN and MSNBC led the media cheerleaders for Trump’s impeachment and removal of office. So what if the Constitutional requirements weren’t met! The LA Times made clear in 2016 “He is unfit to run the country.” Donald Trump had to go. They vilified Reagan and the two Bushes. They would get rid of Trump. Russia Ukraine Obstruction of Justice Abuse of Power Taxes Emoluments Clause 25th Amendment Whatever? It didn’t matter. Slime Trump. Trash Trump. Defame Trump. Vilify Trump Denigrate Trump The unconstitutionality claim is typical of the false information being told the public. A reporter on NBC 4 in Los Angeles was irate, saying he knew of no instance in which the military was used in domestic disturbance. Rank ignorance. President George H. W. Bush sent 4,500 federal troops in Los Angeles, yes the same Los Angeles, to help suppress the 1992 LA riots. President Eisenhower sent nationalized the Arkansas National Guard and dispatched federal troops to Little Rock, Arkansas to suppress race riots and escort 9 African-American students into Central High School. President Kennedy in 1962 sent federal troops to Mississippi to suppress another race riot trying to prevent integration of the University of Michigan. The President has the power to use the military to prevent insurrections, broadly defined. Presidents have invoked the Insurrection Act over 100 times. The Preface to the Constitution provides: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility ….” Domestic Tranquility!!!!!

Protected First Amendment Speech and Expression

First Amendment Protections Speech “Hate” Speech Stupid Speech Writing Press Religion Demonstrations Parades Marches Picketing Siting on the grounds of state capitols and city halls Political Speech Gestures Movies and TV Songs Art Cartoons Obscene Language Posting Billboards Bumper Stickers Placards Armbands T-Shirts Flyers Hanging in effigy Hanging flags and banners Yardsigns Burning the American Flag Porn, except children porn Editorials Campaign Contributions Video Games Lawler Advertising Note; The test is not good taste nor bad taste Reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions are fine Here’s What Not Protected Defamation Fraud Inciting Violence Trespassing Looting Arson Rioting Vandalism Assault Battery Violence Throwing bricks at police officers Throwing Molotov Cocktails into police vehicles Throwing other projectiles Blocking traffic on roads and freeways Discrimination against religion Contempt of a judge in court

Even the Video of George Floyd May Not Tell the Full Picture

Even the Video of George Floyd’s Murder Doesn’t Tell All Full Picture The video of Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin killing George Floyd is gripping, graphic, riveting, and profoundly sad. We know what we saw. A police office brutally, excruciatingly, sadistically murdered George Floyd while three fellow officers looked on. Officer Chauvin is damned by the video. George Floyd repeatedly cried out “I can’t breathe,” but the officer kept pressing his knee on Floyd's neck, lying on his stomach handcuffed. Some said George could obviously breathe because he could speak. Representative Peter King (R. N.Y.) said the same thing about Earl Garner when Officer Daniel Pantaleo was choking him on July17, 2014 on Staten Island. They’re wrong; I am an asthmatic. I know how it feels of not being able to breathe – the chest feels so tight, but my peak flow might be 700-750 and the oxygen level 97. I can’t breathe, but I can talk. Minnesota doesn’t have capital punishment and the federal government lacks it for civil rights violations. Former Officer Chauvin will though be spending the rest of his life in jail, getting out only for court appearances, medical needs, and his funeral. The appropriate punishment would be a monitor outside his cell playing 24/7 an endless loop of the carnage he caused. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth penalty would be George Floyd's bother pushing his his knee on a handcuffed, face down Derek Chauvin for 8 minutes and 45 seconds. Those though would be cruel and unusual punishment. Defense attorneys may be able to come up with a sound defense, but from all angles it looks like Chauvin, maliciously, sadistically murdered George Floyd while 3 fellow officers looked on. The Rodney King beating was the first where videos were damning, but the first trial resulted in acquittals of all four officers. The second trial, a federal civil rights trial, resulted in two convictions. Police violence and keeping the boot on minority communities is a historical reality. DWB, driving while black, still exists. The black community in many cities has a well-earned, well-deserved anger towards the police. Every once in a while the lid on the pressure cooker blows off. The times have changed. Public values and mores have changed for the better. Mayors, police chiefs, and prosecutors are increasing African American, Hispanic, and female. They bring different leadership to law enforcement. Most police probably are not racist today. Some still are with tragic results. The omnipresent cell phone, and the increasing use of body cams, show excessive force in many incidents. They also often show the police officer acted reasonably, even that accusations of police misconduct may be false. Sometimes the videos shown on the media do not show the full story. Defense attorneys will break down videos frame by frame to present a different picture. The George Floyd videos creates evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. Juries are sympathetic to police officers even when the videos seem damming, which is why prosecutors are often reluctant to prosecute police. Not with Derek Chauvin. The videos are too conclusive. Officers throughout America are shocked by it, usually reluctant to criticize fellow police in apparent police misconduct on a video; not this time! The video is so graphic and clear that police academies should show it as an example of what not to do. Videos can also show indisputable evidence of guilt. Michael Slager, a North Charleston Police Officer claimed he had to shoot a fleeing Walter Scott in the back. He claimed self-defense because Walter was struggling for the Officer’s taser. Unbeknownst to the officer, a bystander’s video showed Officer Slager dropping the taser on the ground after shooting Walter Scott. Slager pled guilty two years later and was sentenced to 20 years. The city settled for $6.5 Million. Another example is a chase, a high desert horse chase, reminiscent of the old West. Francis Jared Pusok, a fleeing suspect, jumped on a horse and rode off into the sunset into rugged terrain. He finally surrendered at which point several San Bernardino deputies repeatedly kicked and beat him. They were out in the wilderness, figuring no one was watching. They should have looked up. A TV4 helicopter broadcasted the chase on live TV during prime time. Three deputies were prosecuted. One was convicted of felony assault. The jury was deadlocked on the other two, who subsequently pled to “disturbing the peace.” The recent shooting of Ahmaud Abbey in Georgia by two private citizens of a fleeing African American suspect is another example of culpable homicide. Even if the deceased had trespassed in a house under construction, the police would not have been privileged to use deadly force. A private citizen had no greater right making a citizen arrest. Two large riots ensued in two cases where no video is available. Baltimore police arrested Freddy Gray on April 12, 2015. He was placed into a van for transportation to the station. Somewhere along the way he suffered severe injuries and entered into a coma. He died a week later. Videos showed the arrest but not what happened in the van. Protests began on April 18 and quickly turned into riots and looting. Viewers watched live a CVS being looted and torched while a platoon of officers stood by in formation. They had been ordered to stand down and not interfere. The looting and rioting intensified until the Governor ordered the National Guard in. The District Attorney arrested six officers, three of whom were Black, as was the Mayor and DA. Three of the six were acquitted and charges dropped against the other three. The case causing the most looting, rioting and arson in recent decades until now was Ferguson, Missouri Officer Darren Wilson killing Michael Brown, the Gentle Giant, on August 9, 2014. Brown and his companion Dorian Johnson were accused of theft and assault. No video was available. Dorian claimed Michael Brown had surrendered with his hands up saying “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot.” The mantra, even seen in today’s demonstrations and protests, is “Hands Up; Don’t Shoot.” Dorian lied. Even the Obama Justice Department agreed Officer Wilson acted in self-defense when Michael Brown went for the Officer’s gun. Where does this leave us with video of Officer Chauvin murdering George Floyd? It’s clear, unequivocal. Or not! The coroner’s preliminary report said George Floyd did not die of “traumatic asphyxiation or strangulation.” The coroner said his death was the result of a “combined effect of being restrained, his underlying health conditions, and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death.” Of course the coroner in the Staten Island death of Eric Garner said the same thing. A second, private autopsy today revealed death was caused by asphyxia caused by sustained neck and back compression, leading to a lack of blood flow to the brain. The deceased also had meth and fentanyl in his system. My point is that defense counsel will have a sliver to argue.

The Solution to Looting is Effective Policing - Not More Looting!

The Only Solution for Looting is Policing – Not More Looting Derek Chauvin’s intentional, malicious, sadistic murder of George Floyd justifiably engendered demonstrations and protests. Justice for George Floyd became the rallying cry. So too with Ahmaud Abbey in Georgia (Not technically a police shooting), Breoona Taylor in Louisville, Eric Garner on Staten Island and a host of others. Racism should be damned. Justice for George Floyd – Yes! Looting and burning the businesses of minority owners is not justice. Looting the College Hall of Fame in Atlanta is not Justice for George Floyd! Looting Nordstrom’s is avarice – not justice. Burning banks and pharmacies is not justice – just mad rage. Stealing a cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory in Seattle is not justice – just greed. Looting SoHo is not justice but a five finger discount. Throwing Molotov cocktails in police cars in New York is not justice for George Floyd in Minneapolis. Burning churches is not peace - it's mindless, reminiscent of Nazis burning synagogues and white racists in the South bombing and burning black churches. Riots, looting, and arson quickly followed. That is not justice for Floyd. That is anarchy, nihilism, and rank opportunity. The peaceful demonstrators and protestors should be protected, respected, and honored. NYPD officers kneeled in sympathy with the protestors. Other police marched with peaceful demonstrators – all for the good. Many Americans are bitter and upset. The criminals should be prosecuted. The looting started in Minneapolis and quickly escalated throughout America. The police are unfortunately handcuffed, handcuffed by governors, mayors, and legal precedence. The historic way of policing looters was an order to “Shoot looters.” That is constitutionally and morally wrong today. Police would use their batons and Billy clubs as they waded into mobs, smashing heads. Litigation and court decisions made that costly for cities. Arrests are still legal. However several mayors and police chiefs have barred arrests, letting looting and arson continue. A classic example occurred yesterday in Long Beach, California. Looters were cleaning out an Urban Outfitters in a mall when the LBPD arrived, all captured on live TV. A score of officers showed up and blocked the exits, one of which was a second story broken window. The assumption was that the officers would arrest the looters and stop the looting. Nope, the looters simply ran through the officers, who made no attempt to arrest any of them. Then the looters came back and grabbed any loose garments lying on the ground by the officers, who remained frozen in place. They then marched away. Why were the police officers there? The looters quickly realized that the officers had no in terrorem effect. The Long Beach Police Chief had the hubris last night to go on TV and expressed his dismay at the looting! A Nordstrom’s at the Grove in Los Angeles was looted with TV cameras rolling the day before. No police were in sight. I understand the Thin Blue Line cannot be everywhere at once. I understand authorities have to prioritize their limited resources. I do not understand Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis ordering the police to abandon their station which was then looted and torched. I do not understand how police can stand by and watch looters loot, as they did in Long Beach yesterday. I do not understand someone in authority in Baltimore telling the police to stand in place and watch a CVS looted and torched in the Freddy Grey riots. These acts empower the lawless. I understand that over 4,000 have been arrested to date, but police could easily have arrested thousands more. President Trump talked to the nation’s governors today. He told them “You have to arrest people; You have to get much tougher.” He told them they had to dominate; they had to control the streets. They have to get much tougher. Not everyone appreciated his remarks. The hapless Michigan Governor Whitmer found his remarks “deeply disturbing. Presumptive Democratic Nominee Joe Biden finally emerged from the basement. He called President Trump “somebody in power who breathes oxygen into hate into the rocks, it comes out from under the rocks.” Let us mourn George Floyd and celebrate the Americans who have come out to clean up their neighborhoods. The solution for looting is effective policing – not more looting!