# Would Chauvin have been convicted of anything if the BLM protests hadn't involved violence? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 24, 2021, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797 "2021-05-24T15:13:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797/21 "2021-05-25T13:15:42Z")
> [@Ranch\_Dip](#): > > It’s telling that the OP called them violent riots. Wow, completely inaccurate statement. What Op were you reading? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2021, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797/22 "2021-05-27T01:43:20Z")
Probably not sadly. Even if he was, it would’ve been at worst involuntary manslaughter and he would’ve gotten maybe 1 year in prison if not for BLM and the protests. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2021, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797/23 "2021-05-30T05:21:28Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Chances of a police officer being tried, let alone convicted, for the death of near giant Incidentally, Floyd’s autopsy states he was 6’4". A large man but “Near giant” is ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2021, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797/24 "2021-05-30T05:37:46Z")
The violence made no difference. Chauvin was getting convicted no matter what. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2021, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797/25 "2021-05-30T11:29:44Z")
Tell me again who is being tried for the killing of Breonna Taylor in her own home? If not for nationwide protests, Derek Chauvin—a police officer with a history of complaints and disciplinary action for excessive use of force, including beating a 14 year old boy in the head with a flashlight and putting his knee on the boy’s neck in a manner very similar to what he did with Floyd—would be facing disciplinary action or at most involuntary manslaughter. Great that he was actually convicted of second and third degree murder, but that this was celebrated for how unusual it is for a police officer to be charged and convicted of brutality or homicide even with video and forensic evidence tells you everything you need to know about the likely outcome for Chauvin without the public outcry and nationwide protests over the deliberate killing of George Floyd. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2021, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797/26 "2021-05-30T11:55:15Z")
No. No conviction would have happened. > [@Deeg](#): > > I’d like to think the demonstrations were not necessary but we have evidence in the Rodney King trial that video is not enough. I heard or read somewhere that the defense found excuses to show those videos over and over and over and over and over and…to desensitize the jury to the horrible acts. And it worked. It’s amazing to me how these questionable killings haven’t stopped—too many cops still think they have carte blanche because they’ve had it for so long. People can’t figure it was a one-time fluke or anything. The media coverage keeps it in the spotlight, keeps BLM pushing. As they’re killed all over the country, nobody can pretend it’s only a problem somewhere else. > **[Full List of 229 Black People Killed by Police Since George Floyd's Death](https://www.newsweek.com/full-list-229-black-people-killed-police-since-george-floyds-murder-1594477)** > > Samuel Sinyangwe, who co-founded Mapping Police Violence, says the figure is "most likely an underestimate because more recent killings have fewer articles reporting details such as the race of the victim." Another one that will always stick with me: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/LboWJQ913wg/maxresdefault.jpg "Reaction To Officer Slager's Prison Sentence") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LboWJQ913wg) ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2021, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797/27 "2021-05-30T18:51:33Z")
Without the video its unlikely that Chauvin would even have made the list you linked to. According to the initial police report, Chauvin spontaneously started experiencing medical distress, to which the police responded by calling an ambulance. So the number may be even higher than what your link suggested. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2021, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797/28 "2021-05-30T19:40:28Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > So the number may be even higher than what your link suggested. Yes, I think it’s the tip of the iceberg. I’d be curious to know how it compares to other years. Now that they have body cams maybe the situation will improve? ---
**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:** [June 3, 2021, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797/29 "2021-06-03T23:56:23Z")
I tend to think that the initial violence scared people enough to actually listen. However, I suspect that further violence is what allowed the narrative of “burning down cities” to catch on, which likely hurt the cause. What I’m unsure of is if the protestors actually were responsible for that violence, of if it was primarily caused by agitators (those who wanted an excuse to be violent) and the entirely tone-deaf police response that seemed to be designed to escalate the unrest. I am 100% sure that, without the protests, we don’t get this result. Not because it somehow improperly influenced the trial, but because it made it clear we were dealing with a systemic issue. Also, note that, say, getting in someone’s way does not count as violence in this determination. That’s what protestors do. They are an implicit threat: look at how many of us care about this, and how much we care. You’d better do something about this! If that wasn’t the case, then just sending in a letter or running ads or memes would be enough. The reason you need people actually going around, with signs and such, is that it tells them “we mean business.” Hence I think that sometimes some violence can reinforce that point. But said violence has to be proportionate and stop when they actually start listening. It is measured violence, not getting out of hand to the point you seem like the bad guys. At least, that’s my theory. If protesters weren’t seen as a threat, why would the police want to be violent towards them, to try and shut them up? It’s like how I pointe out to others: if BLM didn’t have a point, why would they go after them and smear them? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797/30 "2021-06-04T02:22:15Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I am 100% sure that, without the protests, we don’t get this result. Not because it somehow improperly influenced the trial, but because it made it clear we were dealing with a systemic issue. If the riots influenced the verdict (which I don’t think they did, and which relies on the notion the jurors were all either idiots or liars) then that DID improperly influence the trial. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797/31 "2021-06-04T02:27:59Z")
White Americans only care about justice for black people if their comfort is at risk. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797/32 "2021-06-04T18:54:17Z")
In the late 60s, _Playboy_ published a cartoon which showed a group of student protesters gathered in a dean’s office. The dean addressed them, “I’d like to thank you people for conducting your protest in a peaceful, civilized manner. Now get out”. ---
**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:** [June 4, 2021, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797/33 "2021-06-04T19:28:24Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > White Americans only care about justice for black people if their comfort is at risk. Generally, perhaps, but not universally true. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797/34 "2021-06-04T20:38:04Z")
I always like how one person says protest, and the other hears riot. In any case, it’s not about influencing the jury, it’s about influencing the prosecutor. It would not be improper influence on the the trial if the prosecutor would have not charged Chauvin were it not for the attention to the case. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-chauvin-have-been-convicted-of-anything-if-the-blm-protests-hadnt-involved-violence/942797.md?page=1)