The prosecutor. County attorney I think it’s called there.
This is not going to help. He’s refusing to answer “why not earlier”, not willing to say what’s changed that gave them additional evidence today vs earlier this week, not commenting on the other officers.
It’s the fastest the’ve ever arrested an officer, usually it takes 8/9 months… WHAT???
I wonder if his office also investigates to rule out affirmative defenses before charging for all of the other people they prosecute.
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3rd degree murder is pretty weaksauce shit. But it’s probably the best they can do.
For regular people that’s the standard for conviction, not for arrest.
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25 years max
I’m no lawyer but this makes sense doesn’t it. I don’t think the cop was trying to kill him. He just didn’t care If he died. Isn’t that the distinction?
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I cannot believe that they are saying that shit. The edge-lord in me thinks that the rioters may have a point.
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I know a girl serving 15 to life for killing someone in a DUI. The argument was, she took a class that explained the dangers of drunk driving, therefore it establishes 2nd degree murder. IANAL and that’s in california but it seems to me like at LEAST a second degree murder charge is warranted. 1st degree, probably impossible to prove.
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@j8i3h289dn3x7 aren’t you a prosecutor? Is there any good reason to wait this long to arrest the officers? How long does it typically take to arrest someone after they’re caught on camera murdering someone?
But I couldn’t stab someone in the chest and then say “well I didn’t mean for him to actually DIE” - dying is just what happens after you stab someone in the chest, so if I intended to stab, I intended to kill.
Same thing should apply here. And if this were some random guy off the street I’d expect the prosecutor to charge both, so that a jury looking to compromise convicts on the 3rd degree rather than the manslaughter.
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Ya that makes sense. Like I said I’m not a lawyer. I thought 2nd and 1st degree meant the killer had to want the victim to die. Your analogy makes sense though.
What a disgrace that guy is. Surname is French yet doesn’t know that a fiancé is male and fiancée female.
I think @j8i3h289dn3x7 mentioned something called depraved indifference murder? Have to watch it with technical terms and being NAL and all, but if it’s not too fancy I’d say kneeling on a guy’s neck for seven minutes seems at the very best indifferent to whether they die or not. So maybe hinges on establishing depravity as defined by the law, would appreciate more comment from jman and other lawbros with relevant knowledge.
1st degree yeah, 2nd degree is taking an intentional action that the individual could reasonably expect to result in death or a significant chance of death. Putting a knee on the back of his neck you could reasonably defend there was no intent at all to kill, just an action without any regard or care for human life. I expect 14 years, but the judge may make an example and go up closer to 20.
edit: I’m not great with words so I rewrote it.
Then ya 2nd degree seems totally obvious.
Call me crazy, I probably would have told Officer Murderface to slide into a desk job after the 17th complaint for excessive force.
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I edited it, it would be the individual committing the act for 2nd murder, not a reasonably person.
I’m guessing they had to interview witnesses first to create a clear argument that nothing preceded this which could possibly be interpreted as justifying greater force than usual. Given the leeway that police are granted, there’s a higher burden of proof that they have to overcome. This was probably slowed down by the other officers pleading the fifth. Maybe one of them cut a plea deal to snitch on the rest.