Minnesota Criminal Attorney Appears on the Bloomberg Law Podcast to talk George Floyd and How to Defend Derek Chauvin?

In just a handful of days, potential jurors will be arriving at the Hennepin County Government Center to sit in judgment of Derek Chauvin. These Hennepin County citizens still have to run the gauntlet of jury selection before they are chosen and this process could take weeks. With a jury trial the likes of this one, this task promises to be monumental. Of course, once the jurors are seated, then the fireworks begin and I’m not even talking about the ones outside of the Courthouse.

Living just 10 blocks from where George Floyd died under the knee of Derek Chauvin, I couldn’t help but feel the impact and the outrage. And yet, regardless of my personal feelings, as a former prosecutor, Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist and Criminal Defense Attorney who has handled a lot of serious assault, rape and murder trials, I can’t help but consider exactly how I would defend Derek Chauvin, what kind of jury I’d want, how I would argue my opening, cross examine witnesses, experts, all of it.

I received an email the other day from Bloomberg News on the East Coast about this case and then sat for a very long interview about exactly how we got here. Of course, who knows how much of it will end up on the cutting room floor. Nevertheless, they then asked if I’d be willing to appear on the Bloomberg Law Podcast. Of course.

The Bloomberg Law Podcast is expected to air in the coming days. However, as we spoke during the interview, what kept coming to mind is how George Floyd’s death catapulted millions of people into the streets worldwide. It was extraordinary. As a former prosecutor, I thought about the strategy that I would employ to put Chauvin in prison. At the same time, as a criminal defense attorney, I couldn’t help but consider how I’d handle the Defense and fight to convince a jury to “walk him.”.

After trying a lot of criminal trials over the last 20 plus years, I have come to realize that the best laid plans often go awry. While this case seems like a slam dunk in some ways, never underestimate human error, biases, and even the willingness of one juror to go their own way. Only time will tell.

Thanks Bloomberg Law Podcast. That was fun.