Look, we’re not here to defend former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on George Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes. We know enough about the news business, though, to know that a person is only alleged of a crime until he’s tried and convicted. Chauvin is charged with second- and third-degree murder, but his trial isn’t even scheduled to begin until next year.
Our feeling, and it’s an uneasy one, is that the prosecutors have overcharged Chauvin, who might be convicted of second-degree manslaughter but cleared of the murder charges. Murder seems like a stretch, and if and when Chauvin walks away from those charges, we fear we’re going to see riots all over again.
Joe Biden — finally — has recorded a statement about the rioting and looting and arson that has hit Kenosha, Wisc., and other cities in the wake of Jacob Blake’s death, and in it, he condemns the needless violence — stunning and brave, to be sure — and also accuses Chauvin of murder. That’s his right, of course, but if he can wait to condemn the riots, maybe he could wait for the trial?
Once again, a Black man — Jacob Blake — was shot by the police. In front of his children. It makes me sick.
Is this the country we want to be?
Needless violence won’t heal us. We need to end the violence — and peacefully come together to demand justice. pic.twitter.com/WdNqrxA3PK
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 26, 2020
And then there’s the matter of medical examiner’s report on George Floyd, which reveals the number of drugs in his system and concludes that if Floyd were found dead in his home, the doctor said he would conclude that it was an overdose death.
Hennepin County Attorney’s Office released this document. Dr. Andrew Baker, the Chief Hennepin County Medical Examiner who reviewed #GeorgeFloyd‘s blood test, says the substances found lead him to conclude it was an overdose death. #BlackLivesMatter. Read: pic.twitter.com/xyaQvHDpQw
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 25, 2020
Good on Biden, though, for finally coming out and condemning the rioting, though.
Joe. Maybe take a look at the needless violence in Kenosha … seriously. Could you be any more out of the loop? lol
— The🐰FOO (@PolitiBunny) August 26, 2020
“Once again” a politician is speaking without knowing the facts. Pathetic
— SeldenGADawgs (@SeldenGADawgs) August 26, 2020
You had eight years.
— Marcel de Dood (@marceldedood) August 26, 2020
And Black Lives Matter was born under the Obama administration. And the cop who shot and killed Mike Brown was cleared by the Obama Justice Department, so maybe take it easy with the “M” word.
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton thinks Biden sounds pretty biased against the police:
Biden joins the Left’s War on Police? https://t.co/HHdLGE1TDJ
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) August 26, 2020
Wait, he is saying all this before all the facts known? Really??
— Don Burnette (@Burnette3Don) August 26, 2020
In having aspirations to lead this country, our political elite need to learn to stop trying cases in the court of public opinion and let due process run its course.
Perhaps civics lessons and some Constitutional education should be criteria for seeking public office
— #Placebocracy (@MarkJHartwig1) August 26, 2020
A typical politician playing it both ways.
— Don Joe (@whyiscrowdpurpl) August 26, 2020
I still have never figured out why the time of day a police officer shoots someone is relevant…
— Stolen Fates (@StolenFates) August 26, 2020
Once again Democratic Leaders try to stoke racial unrest/national turmoil by trying to demonize the Police for a shooting a Black man who resisted arrest
Is this the country we want to be?
— John Betts (@JohnFromCranber) August 26, 2020
@JoeBiden just made another major mistake. Divide and conquer is not working anymore, but it’s hard for him to see that from his basement.
— Scottsdale_Dad (@Scottsdale_Dad) August 26, 2020
It’s about time you confront these senseless riots!
— louis mathieu (@louisma24219375) August 26, 2020
He just made it official, after waffling around the subject.
— NavyMom#00 (@Navymom0) August 26, 2020
Too little too late.
— Mr_Magnetic (@MrM6gnetic) August 26, 2020
I guess the polls told him that the riots weren’t as big a boost for Biden as originally planned!
— Bubby (@rrtodd_) August 26, 2020
Great Joe! You going to vote Trump?
— Mike Soubirous (@MikeSoubirous) August 26, 2020
Annnnnnnd, another teleprompter speech. @JoeBiden
— Michelle Ciociola-Wise (@meeshciociola) August 26, 2020
Let’s see him do that speech again without the cue cards this time. “You know the thing”
— Jonathan Doe (@JonathanDoe8493) August 26, 2020
Now I look at those videos and try and determine if he’s a body double in a prosthetic or if they’re using deep dream CGI or something?
As far as I’m concerned that’s a message fragment.— Vocabulary Expert Will Warden 🇺🇸 (@truthsayer1989) August 26, 2020
Is this a new clone?
— chris (@taych) August 26, 2020
A communist hologram?
— SummerEagle (@darcyneils) August 26, 2020
Great GOP commercial
— S Craig Bryan CSCS (@bodydr0613) August 26, 2020
C’mon man, get out of the basement and properly address this “needless violence” that’s been ravaging cities for months now.
Joe Biden can travel to his Delaware beach house but he chose not to travel to Wisconsin.
Make note of Joe Biden’s priorities. https://t.co/ytO0CKTE37
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) August 26, 2020
Related:
‘Story is unraveling’: New footage casts doubt on prevailing narrative surrounding shooting of Jacob Blake https://t.co/fl5Hjn0HRf
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 26, 2020
