Have you been paying attention to the Derek Chauvin trial? Derek seems to be having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. That’s okay with me. For nearly two solid weeks experts, professionals, one-time colleagues, doctors, police trainers…hell, just about anybody connected with law enforcement and/or the medical profession has come out to agree: Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd. Well, they haven’t rendered a verdict, yet but that’s the message. It’s been SUCH a parade of agreement that Chauvin’s actions were outside of standard police training and actions, I started wondering what kind of defense Chauvin might offer.

There’s always the standard, “Oh, cops have a tough job and have to make difficult, split-second decisions.” That’s often true, of course, but…you know…not in this case. Cons are out pretending Floyd was – well, to hear THEM tell it – Floyd was already dead from all that Fentanyl in his system but the Prosecutor covered that. Nope. “Oh, well, he had a heart condition,” they say, trying to defend the indefensible. According to the medical examiner who declared Floyd dead: Nope. I mean, he did, but that isn’t what killed him. I suppose the defense might suggest Chauvin didn’t realize the severity of Floyd’s condition. The prosecution has covered that, as well. Chauvin has been trained to recognize exactly that kind of distress and is duty-bound to render assistance in exactly the way he didn’t. The cops on the scene even rebuffed the attempted aid of an EMT who just happened to be there and was warning them of the danger.

I read in the Guardian, this morning, that the defense may be counting on the drug angle anyway. Apparently, there’s this concept of “excited delirium” that suggests that someone on drugs can become agitated and become stronger and have a higher resistance to pain than normal. None of that applies in the Floyd case, of course. We have all watched the video. He wasn’t resisting. He was just trying to survive. But the defense has to say SOMETHING, right? If they can’t point to the shiny badge and they can’t point to the “resisting, drug-addled black man,” what have they got?

I have found the whole prosecution SO devastating, I am curious as to why Chauvin didn’t just accept a plea bargain in the first place. Sitting on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, in front of an audience, on camera and being recorded is one of the most blatant acts of arrogance I’ve ever seen – short of insisting that, despite all of that, getting his day in court would “clear everything up.” Are cops REALLY that certain that courts will back them up, no matter what?

I presume Chauvin’s accomplices are watching closely. I suspect that Chauvin’s trial is – more than anything else – a warning to them. Chauvin is making the state go through the motions, as is his right, but my guess is they don’t want to do this for all four of the killers on such a clear-cut, open and shut case. Once Chauvin is convicted, I predict the rest will accept plea agreements for their participation and the whole mess will be behind everyone.

You know…until the next time…

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Speaking of killing people, I hear there are some out there (mostly cons, of course) refusing to get the vaccine and insisting on going about their day normally. Open everything, go everywhere, do whatever. (Is now the time to mention that the current U.S. death count from Covid-19 stands at 561,231?) Not surprisingly, conservative strongholds are also Covid-19 hot spots, with Michigan leading the way. Remember Michigan? That’s the place where the cons were SO determined to do the wrong thing they attempted to kidnap the Governor – with an eye toward murdering her. The cons are all over it, aren’t they? Infamous con Ted Nugent even wants to know why there weren’t any lock-downs for Covid 1 through Covid 18! At some point, one gets tired of trying to induce people to do the right thing and, let’s be honest, there SHOULD BE the right among people to choose to die. Let’s just let them “live with their choice” (read: die) and reduce the surplus population, right? It’s not very p.c. of me but I’m okay with that.

(The previous paragraph reflects my frustration at the refusal of some to participate and do the right thing. Of course we’re going to help those who find themselves suffering from poor choices they’ve made. It’s really the human thing to do…)

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Sometimes, I wish I wasn’t an atheist. Sometimes, I wish I could reasonably believe in the concept of Hell. There are people out in this world who should spend some time there. The idea that people who perpetuate evil in this world and seem to get away with it will get theirs in the end is quite comforting – but it’s bunk. Here in Feudal America, cheaters prosper and crime pays. Many of the very worst people on the planet are waving holy books and hiding behind their pretended faith but don’t seem very concerned about the consequences of their despicable behavior. That seems to be one of the more defining differences between believers and non-believers. Non-believers are more honest…

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No correlation intended, here, but I guess I have to at least mention the passing of Prince Philip. 99 years old is nothing to shake a stick at. I kind of wish he had made it to 100. After that, I don’t have much interest in “the Royal Family” and I didn’t know Philip personally, so I’m not much invested in his passing. I feel VERY badly for Queen Elizabeth II. Losing a life-partner of 74 years has got to be tough…