# Minnesota trial of Derek Chauvin (killer of George Floyd) reactions **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 30, 2021, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024 "2021-03-30T13:14:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 24
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/461 "2021-04-18T22:48:52Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > That is what the witness said in response to the leading questions of the respective attorneys but objectively speaking, the audio is so muffled and Floyd is mumbling that if you wanted to hear, “I was on the grassy knoll in Dallas” you could hear that as well. Leading questions are what you do in cross, though. So why would that matter? The point to me is that they played more of the clip, and the guy heard something else. So either the clip was too short and additional context made it clearer, or the clip is too ambiguous to have any clear meaning. Either way, that seems to undercut the supposed “evidence.” I’m also pretty sure that the science on this sort of ambiguity says that people are more likely to stick with the interpretation they were last primed to hear. I know that’s how it works for me. I’ve watched videos where different things are suggested for backmasked lyrics, and the last one they use is the one that sticks in my head. Plus, well, there’s just the fact that “I ate too many drugs” is not the way people normally talk. You don’t “eat” drugs–you “take” them or “do” them. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/462 "2021-04-18T22:56:32Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Plus, well, there’s just the fact that “I ate too many drugs” is not the way people normally talk. You don’t “eat” drugs–you “take” them or “do” them. I’ve heard the term “ate drugs.” My point was that it is just an ink blot. You can hear what you want to hear on that part of the tape, and for the reasons you point out, I think it was a mistake for the defense to try to tie it down to a particular thing. But even if he said “I didn’t/ain’t do no drugs” that is shown to be false by the partially chewed up pills with his saliva and DNA in the back seat of the police car. Also, if he was unable to breathe, in his last breaths, the “I ate too many drugs” should help the STATE as he was trying to be honest to get the cops off of him. So, I think the argument is confusing in many ways. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/463 "2021-04-19T00:31:58Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > I’ve heard the term “ate drugs.” Heard? I’ve _used_ drugs, alongside friends who _use_ drugs. None of us would use the phrase “ate drugs”. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/464 "2021-04-19T00:36:07Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Heard? I’ve _used_ drugs, alongside friends who _use_ drugs. None of us would use the phrase “ate drugs”. Okay…so maybe across the country there are different regionalisms used. I have heard the term “ate” with regards to pills fairly frequently. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/465 "2021-04-19T00:41:54Z")
Google’s ngram viewer shows zero instances of “ate drugs”, “ate some drugs” or “ate too many drugs” in its corpus of books. The iWeb corpus (14 billion words from usage on the Internet) shows just one instance of “ate drugs” (in a headline “Baby Ate Drugs”), zero instances of “ate some drugs”, and one instance of “ate too many drugs” (in a bizarre rambling post about drug usage). I’d say at best it is an exceedingly uncommon usage. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/466 "2021-04-19T00:50:22Z")
And now I’m jonesing for some drugs. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/467 "2021-04-19T00:52:29Z")
Don’t eat too many. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/468 "2021-04-19T01:16:27Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > Google’s ngram viewer shows zero instances of “ate drugs”, “ate some drugs” or “ate too many drugs” in its corpus of books. I’m getting hits for “ate drugs.” (You don’t use quotes in the ngram search.) > **[Google Books Ngram Viewer](https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=ate%2Bdrugs&year_start=1800&year_end=2019&corpus=26&smoothing=3&direct_url=t1%3B%2Cate%20drugs%3B%2Cc0)** > > Google Books Ngram Viewer That said, looking through Google Books, most of those are false hits (like “appropri- ate drugs” going over the right margin. I did find some real ones: “These folks ate drugs like they were candy.” from a 2006 book (but that kind of makes sense, as they are comparing it to candy, which you eat. Another cite I find uses “ate drugs” with a candy comparison as well.) And there’s also a good number of stories where suspects “ate drugs” in order to hide the evidence. I see headlines and news stories from a number of places, like [this one](https://www.facebook.com/Shelburnenews/posts/a-suspect-in-south-burlington-ate-drugs-in-order-to-get-rid-of-the-evidence-poli/10158548252059513/) or [this one](https://www.facebook.com/Shelburnenews/posts/a-suspect-in-south-burlington-ate-drugs-in-order-to-get-rid-of-the-evidence-poli/10158548252059513/) or [this one](https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/police-man-eats-drugs-during-investigation-in-campbell/) or many more. It seems to be restricted to usage in which one ingests drugs in order to get rid of contraband. I’m not saying that’s the case here, just that it is a usage. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/469 "2021-04-19T01:36:44Z")
Hm, not sure what I did there. I do know not to use quotes in ngram. “Ate some drugs” and “ate too many drugs” have zero hits, but you’re correct that “ate drugs” has some, mostly false positives. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/470 "2021-04-19T12:27:19Z")
Sounded like “I hate too many drugs”. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/471 "2021-04-19T12:55:10Z")
If one ‘overdoses’ did they ‘eat’ drugs? If they shoot themselves did they ‘eat’ their gun? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/472 "2021-04-19T13:37:01Z")
Well today’s the day. The pressure on the jury must be enormous. They’re well aware of the crowds reaction if they don’t get the verdict they want. I’m convinced Chauvin did negligently kill Floyd. I plan on listening to closing arguments. I don’t expect to hear anything that changes my mind. ---
**Author:** ![StraightTalk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straighttalk/32/9982_2.png) [@StraightTalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StraightTalk)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/473 "2021-04-19T15:50:31Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > Yes, it was resolved. > The defence played a bit of the video, and the witness said he heard I ate too many drugs. > The prosecution played a longer portion of the video and the witness stated that he heard I ain’t do no drugs. I heard “I ain’t took no drugs”. I could also hear “I gave Snoop a hug.” It is just too muffled to make it out with any certainty. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/474 "2021-04-19T15:57:05Z")
the fact that it is muffled and garbled is why it is a bit baffling on why the defence would bring it up. sometimes the throw everything in doesn’t work well. ---
**Author:** ![StraightTalk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straighttalk/32/9982_2.png) [@StraightTalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StraightTalk)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/475 "2021-04-19T16:19:20Z")
I have a question. We all know that there was, in fact, a carbon monoxide test on George Floyd’s blood and that it was in the normal range. Given that it is a fact that he did not have an abnormal level of carbon monoxide, can the defense still claim in their closing arguments that it was a factor? i.e. Can they lie in their closing arguments? ---
**Author:** ![LivingGhost371](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@LivingGhost371](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LivingGhost371)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/476 "2021-04-19T16:27:15Z")
Watching the prosecutions closing, he did a good job explaining the findings the jury can and should make, but I would have liked to see a little more passion, and he kind of tread into dangerous territory with the “superhuman” comments. That could make the jury think about the drugs, and could make the jury think the fentanyl prevented pain compliance from working. ---
**Author:** ![StraightTalk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straighttalk/32/9982_2.png) [@StraightTalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StraightTalk)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/477 "2021-04-19T16:30:04Z")
I was expecting the prosecution to play the 9:29 video they played in their opening arguments. Perhaps they’ll do that in their rebuttal? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/478 "2021-04-19T16:30:59Z")
> [@LivingGhost371](#): > > he did a good job explaining the findings the jury can and should make, but I would have liked to see a little more passion, Jurors tend to push back when hit with “passion.” A detached professional presentation is usually less flashing but more effective. Let the facts themselves create the emotion. Rebuttal closing is a good time to turn up the heat a bit. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/479 "2021-04-19T17:12:22Z")
so far the defence in closing is saying that mr chauvin used reasonable force. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024/480 "2021-04-19T17:34:17Z")
I don’t think anyone can expect them to say anything differently. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minnesota-trial-of-derek-chauvin-killer-of-george-floyd-reactions/939024.md?page=25)