Alfred Dreyfus, Leo Frank, the Scottsboro Boys, and Stefan Kiszko stand as historical examples of men who were wrongly convicted and later exonerated. Their cases remind us that justice, while ideal, is not infallible. This raises an intriguing question: Will the case of ex-cop Derek Chauvin, found guilty in 2021 of killing George Floyd, someday be added to this list?
The answer could very well be yes—if attorney Greg Joseph has his way. Joseph, now representing Chauvin, filed a “Memorandum in Support of Petition for Postconviction Relief” on November 20. His goal is to vacate Chauvin’s conviction and secure a new trial.
According to commentator John Dale Dunn, M.D., Joseph’s filing “challenges what he describes as abusive prosecutorial conduct and the presentation of misleading or false testimony during Chauvin’s trial.”
One of the most striking revelations, as reported recently by Alpha News, is that 50 former and current officers have provided sworn declarations stating that the restraint technique used by Derek Chauvin was part of Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) training. This information is significant because a central point in Chauvin’s conviction was that he employed an illegal restraint on Floyd.
### Anatomy of a Railroading?
In many ways, Floyd’s death in 2020 feels like it happened five summers and a thousand years ago. At that time, much of the country—liberal Minneapolis in particular—was gripped by a mixture of mass formation psychosis and mob mentality. There was a widespread belief that an oppressive police jackboot was figuratively pressing down on Black America’s neck. In the now-iconic photo of Officer Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck, Chauvin appeared to embody that oppressive force.
A pound of flesh was demanded. Given this emotionally charged environment, it’s difficult to imagine Chauvin received a fair trial. Attorney Greg Joseph contends that he did not.
As Alpha News highlights, in the 71-page petition filed in Hennepin County District Court, Joseph stated bluntly that “this case simply never made sense.” Among several key arguments, he emphasized how rare it is for a murder to occur before a crowd of witnesses while officers are actively working with dispatchers and requesting emergency medical assistance.
Joseph also scrutinized the use of video evidence during the trial, raising critical questions about its handling. He underscored the “potential for misuse” of video evidence as well as the “devastating effect” that false testimony can have on court proceedings and the broader judicial process.
### Key Issues: Intent and Causation
The petition focuses heavily on two fundamental issues: intent and causation. Specifically, it questions whether Chauvin’s restraint of Floyd was in compliance with the policies and procedures of the Minneapolis Police Department.
As this legal battle unfolds, Chauvin’s case continues to provoke discussions about justice, fairness, and the complex intersection of law and social pressures. Whether this will lead to exoneration remains to be seen, but the challenges raised by attorney Greg Joseph certainly warrant close consideration.
https://thenewamerican.com/us/will-derek-chauvin-be-freed-theres-now-a-serious-challenge-to-the-ex-cops-conviction/
