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Why did Derek Chauvin refuse to testify in court regarding George Floyd's murder?

Hi. I learned recently the former cop who killed George Floyd is on trial for Floyd's murder. Why did Chauvin refuse to testify regarding the murder? Is he trying to keep himself from going to jail? I think he is making things worse on himself by not testifying. He needs to MAN UP and come clean about WHY he killed Floyd. People have seen the surveillance videos - Chauvin clearly suffocated Floyd to death and Floyd told him several times he couldn't breathe. Bystanders watched Chauvin suffocate Floyd to death and some even pleaded with Chauvin to get off of Floyd.

I am curious about this. Please help. Thank you.

22 Answers

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  • troi
    Lv 4
    2 weeks ago
    Favorite Answer

    Because there was no defense for what he did.

    The prosecutions evidence is pretty irrefutable.  What could he say to defend kneeling on the man's neck

    continuously for 9 minutes and 29 seconds until he stopped moving.  4 minutes of that was 

    AFTER HE WAS DEAD.

    How many times did they say "use of force" and 

    "REASSESSING  the situation"?  Clearly there was no "reassessing" on his part if the guy was dead for 4 mins.

  • 1 week ago

    The dumbest thing anyone could ever do is testify at their own criminal trial, even if they are the most innocent man in human history. 

  • Anonymous
    2 weeks ago

    Probably he has a lot to hide.

  • 2 weeks ago

    As not to incriminate himself. 9 minutes & 29 seconds with someone putting a knee on your airway is hard to defend.

  • Anonymous
    2 weeks ago

    Strategically speaking, every witness called has to be weighed in terms of what positive evidence they bring for your side vs. what it allows the other side to bring in. If Chauvin testified that would give the prosecution the ability to bring up everything Chauvin has ever done. They would go through every mistake he ever made in his career, every parking ticket he's gotten and the grades he made in 3rd grade. I guarantee at least 1 of their 14 lawyers has spent the last 10 months preparing for the possibility of Chauvin testifying. He would probably be on the stand for at least a week. That's not how the defense would want to end the trial. 

    So, I don't see that he brings much positive evidence to the case but it would bring a lot of negatives.  Maybe, if the defense was losing they might call him but the way this trial is going that would be dumb, 

    So it was purely a strategic decision. 

  • ?
    Lv 7
    2 weeks ago

    This falls under:

    Anything you say CAN and WILL be used against you. Pleading the 5th Ammendment ( choosing to remain silent)protects people from self incrimination.

    Even criminals have rights.

  • 2 weeks ago

    It is every defendant's right to not be a witness against themselves by subjecting themselves to cross-examination.

  • Anonymous
    2 weeks ago

    If you have ever had the experience of being in court then you know that an experienced prosecutor can turn things around on you with each statement you make. Hence making you seem guilty when you’re not.

  • Mike L
    Lv 7
    2 weeks ago

    I believe the great President Trump claimed that if you ever have to plead the 5th that you are guilty. 

  • Anonymous
    2 weeks ago

    Here's one opinion.

    Attachment image
  • Bruce
    Lv 7
    2 weeks ago

    The burden is on the state to prove he committed a crime. He is not obligated to prove he is innocent. That is a right provided in the Fifth Amendment. 

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