The court is currently on lunch break until around 1 p.m. CDT/ 2 p.m. EDT (my time). I’m watching via WaPo Live-stream Link. The NYT also has a live feed Link
I didn’t see a Liveblog of the Chauvin Murder Trial this a.m. and I couldn’t start one just yet. I took very sketchy notes which don’t actually capture the fullness of the Witnesses. I have to leave at 5 EDT for an Inland/Wetlands site visit but if anyone is interested you should continue.
I only picked up the continuance of the trial when Mr. Donald Williams (Mixed Martial Arts guy) re-took the stand. I missed his testimony yesterday. Stand out impressions. He, like all the prosecution witnesses was well prepared (even though he strayed the most). Answered tersely to Defense questions. Defense attorney Nelson tried too hard to show off about his newly discovered knowledge of Martial Arts and Williams continually corrected him.
Best Williams comment of the day: “You can’t paint me out to be angry.” Oh, yeah.
Defense Nelson didn’t help himself when he got testimony that Officer Thao prevented Williams from coming forward to help Floyd. Thao put his hand on Williams’ chest. Williams brushed it off (I didn’t want him touching me) and then stepped back on the curb. All caught on camera. Nelson quoted a bunch of increasingly pointed things, including swear words, that Williams yelled at the cops. Still unhelpful as pretty much anyone could understand the provocation. Just because swearing or just being mean to cops might become a crime in some dumbass states doesn’t mean that it is a crime.
Nelson scored no points. He gave Prosecutors the gift of the blatant racial bias re: painting both Floyd and Williams as the big angry black men. Prosecutor Blackwell is brilliant at connecting dots.
Teenage witness who was only referred to by her first name, Darnella, is the one who was courageous enough to film the viral 20 minutes of the nightmare. She just turned 18. During the pre-trial procedural discussions, Judge Peter Cahill said that 4 witnesses who either are or were juveniles at the time of the incident (aka murder of George Floyd) would not be shown on camera and would not have their full names given. He knew the press already had and could print them. WaPo has just referred to Darnella as teenage witness.
Darnella was devastating as a witness. She was completely overcome with emotion. She said she has social anxiety so not prone to be a crowd heckler. She confirmed nobody threatened the cops – that both Thao and Chauvin reached for their mace when anyone stepped off the curb (Williams) or got too loud. People were shouting but didn’t physically threaten. She said she feared Thao and Chauvin.
Defense Nelson made some unforced errors – like saying the area at the Cup Store wasn’t a neighborhood like those with houses. Yoiks! He got nowhere with Darnella other than looking like a floundering asshole. His last question was (paraphrased) Your video went viral, did that change your life? Darnella, tearfully, yes.
Blackwell on re-direct – asked her about how her life was changed. She was still tearful. She said she just thinks about her father, brothers, cousins, uncles (Black males) when she thinks of George Floyd. She says she wakes up and apologizes to Floyd almost every day because she couldn’t help him. Jeezus – she’s a kid. Devastating.
Next – Darnella’s little cousin. Just 9 years old – 10 next week. She sounded so wee tiny. Just added corroboration of what she saw when she left the Cup Store. Blackwell, for the second time, put up the closeup of the sociopath Chauvin as he’s kneeling on Floyd’s neck. “Do you see this man in the courtroom?” First she says no – the masks. Somebody told Chauvin to take off his mask and he stood (not a good move) and the little girl identified him. Smartly, no questions from the defense.
Lunch break.