TheDarkMan
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
On Friday, in a Florida courtroom, a clearly guilty and deranged Ronny Oneal was given a sentence of life without parole by the jury, while in a Minnesota courtroom, former police officer Derek Chauvin was given a heavy sentence by the judge. Both sentences were delivered live on YouTube.
These two cases could hardly be more contrasting; Oneal murdered two people – his girlfriend and daughter, as well as attempting to murder his son, while although Chauvin was convicted of second degree murder, it is difficult when viewing all the video and factoring in the full circumstances of the death of George Floyd, to consider him guilty of anything more serious than manslaughter by an act of crass stupidity, and then only maybe.
Chauvin’s mother put in a plea for him, for all the good it did, and although Oneal had character witnesses, his crimes were so outrageous and so repugnant not to mention so bizarre that nothing could have mitigated his punishment. As predicted here recently, at least one juror voted against a death sentence, and only one was needed. Oneal will definitely never see daylight again, although it remains to be seen how long he will survive in prison.
In the other courtroom, we heard from Chauvin for the first time; he limited his comments to expressing sympathy with the family of George Floyd, and although he didn’t say it in so many words, he will clearly be appealing against both conviction and sentence, as he should. Amber Guyger shot a man dead in his own home, and was given a mere ten year sentence. And she has had the audacity to appeal her conviction. Originally, she was charged only with manslaughter, and but for genuine public outrage, she would quite likely have walked. As pointed out here previously, Derek Chauvin is far from the worst of the worst, unappealing character that he is. His conviction and now 22 year plus sentence will do nothing to repair America’s broken policing, and may even may it worse.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
….but, but….. the judge was NOT influenced by the public. Honest, really.
People have an unfortunate tendency to choose up sides even when no one is right. Was Floyd a POS thug? Who else would hold a gun to his pregnant girlfriends belly and threaten to shoot if she refuses to give him money? Was Chauvin guilty of a classic case of felonious stupidity? Was an already handcuffed prisoner such a threat to Chauvin and his fellow warriors that he had to kneel on Floyds neck for 9 minutes including the last 4 minutes after Floyd was clinically dead? Was he doing this because he concluded that Floyd was a POS? Did… Read more »
Floyd did not “hold a gun to his pregnant girlfriends belly”, you gullible twit. Who told you he did that, and why on earth did you believe them?
Oh my mistake. It was one of Floyds 5 accomplices who held the gun to the woman’s belly while Floyd ransacked her house looking for valuables. I hope I haven’t besmirched Floyd’s fine upstanding reputation too much to a racist twit like yourself..
If the victim will never again walk this Earth, then neither should the perpetrator.
Agreed.
I found it really strange that the Perp did not have cuffs on, nor the usual orange jump suit like prisoners normally do. I wonder why this guy got special treatment ?