Jury Deliberations And The Impact Of Such A Verdict

April 20, 2021 | Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie |

Your guess is as good as mine what the verdict will be. Based on past experiences and other verdicts, we know to convict a police and with racist leaning white citizens it is an uphill task.

Systemic Racism

It is well established that racism is rampant in America and Minneapolis, Minnesota in particular. So I am not holding my breath. At least a conviction on even a lesser charge would be ground-breaking. Rodney King did not get justice and many others caught on camera. So what is new?

Rioting

We can expect rioting if (he) Chauvin is set free. But that is the nature of things in the USA.  Juries are the judges of the facts and the verdict has to be unanimous. That is not an easy threshold to get to.

Commentary

Let us brace ourselves for the worst and hope for the best, and that good sense will prevail. The longer the jury takes they say is a sign of trouble. Conventional wisdom I am told.

Do you think Chauvin will be convicted?  The verdict is yours, as usual.  The jury has the last say of course.  Police officers even when brutally wrong are usually let off the hook. As all lives there are not equal.

“We are all equal in the sight of God . There is no super race”

Black Lives Matter

The Black Lives Matter Movement are well prepared both ways we are sure. Demonstrations are likely already planned. We will see.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is a poet and veteran journalist. With International exposure.