The Hand Says It All

It’s not every day we watch second degree murder on our TV screen. Over and over every day. This, however, is exactly what we witness every day when we turn on the news. The trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minnesota police officer on trial for killing George Floyd, is being followed nationwide. And the video clip is showed over and over.

Second degree murder is defined as “intentional murder that lacks premeditation. It is intended to only cause bodily harm and demonstrates an extreme indifference to human life. At the moment the murder occurs, the killer definitely intends to kill the victim, but up until that moment, the killer had no plan to commit murder (Findlaw.com).” The prosecution and the defense will do their best to prove why THEY are right.

It does not appear that Derek Chauvin intended to commit murder that morning as he got ready for work. Chauvin didn’t start the day with murder on his mind. Sure, it’s easy to be the Monday morning quarterback when a police officer has to make a split second decision. Except this wasn’t a split second decision. Long after George Floyd was subdued and handcuffed, Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd’s neck.  Floyd cried out that he could not breathe and eventually cried for his deceased mother. There were plenty of opportunities for Chauvin to make a different decision. But he kept his knee on Floyd’s neck and kept his hand in his pocket. He looked completely nonchalant, as if he were ordering a latte from a street vendor.

It’s the hand in the pocket that tells me everything I need to know. He demonstrated utter disregard for Floyd and showed no emotion at all as Floyd’s life evaporated under the pressure of his knee. Chauvin disregarded Floyd’s pleas for help and kept his hand in his pocket and his knee on Floyd’s neck.

There is a reason a nearly universal ban of this type of move to subdue suspects exists. It has a tendency to kill them. Even Chauvin’s own colleagues stated that the knee on the neck was not an approved action. While prior bad acts are not admissible in court, Chauvin has almost twenty complaints for excessive force. Clearly the guy has an anger management problem and perhaps a few others, too.

The motto of many police departments is “to protect and serve.” There isn’t much about this oft seen video that shows George Floyd being protected or served. Police officers are entrusted with public well-being and keeping the peace. They are responsible for following the law and enforcing it.

The role of police officer carries inherent power and authority. It is entrusted to them for the benefit of those they serve. Police have an ethical and legal responsibility to use their power to protect and serve.

Police always have power over the people they are to protect and serve. Their words carry authority, their actions are to reflect and uphold the law, and their behavior is held to a higher level of scrutiny than other people. Police officers have an utter, and some would say sacred, duty to protect and serve those under their charge. It is a basic mindset. Sure, mistakes are made and sometimes judgment calls can seem a bit “off” to those of us who weren’t there. That is not what we witness on the video of George Floyd being murdered.

The role of race in Floyd’s murder cannot be overlooked. Racism is rampant in many police departments. Racial profiling, driving while black and harsher sentences for people of color vis-a-vis their white counterparts are common.  

It appears George Floyd was not without his faults (just as the rest of us). He is not the one on trial. He may have resisted arrest initially. In this day and age so would I. His actions before the video began filming are irrelevant. He was still due the respect and dignity that should be afforded to all God’s people. George Floyd was a reflection of the face of the Holy One, just as we all are.

What really matters is that Chauvin continued an improper subduing maneuver long after Floyd stopped posing any risk. What matters is that Chauvin demonstrated utter disregard for the unique and unrepeatable human being who was George Floyd. What matters is his attitude of arrogance and superiority reflected by keeping his hand in his pocket the entire time. If Floyd was so unruly, wouldn’t Chauvin have used both hands? Instead, he put his hand in his pocket and acted as if there was not a human being dying underneath his knee.

The hand tells me all I need to know about Derek Chauvin.