‘Subclinical Psychopathy And The Cops’: A Quick But Alarming Way Into George Floyd Murder Trial
Chris Graham
If you’re trying to follow the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd – the 2020 killing that re-invigorated the #BlackLivesMatter movement and sparked worldwide protests against police violence – there’s unfortunately not a lot of interest in Australian media. But there is plenty of content on Youtube if you’re prepared to go looking, including live streams to the ongoing court case. It began just over a week ago and is set down for at least a month.
The testimony has so far been compelling, albeit gut-wrenching. If you’ve never quite worked out why Floyd’s death sparked so much anger, then following the trial will almost certainly get you there. There’s numerous videos from bystanders showing Chauvin strangle the life out of a man (of whom there’s no evidence he committed a crime), including continuing to apply severe pressure to Floyd’s neck for more than three minutes after he passed out.
And if you’re looking to get up to speed quickly on the issue, this video from Dr Todd Grande, a licensed mental health counsellor and former associate professor at Wilmington University, is a very good option. Grande weighs in on the basic facts of the case, but he also provides a scientific perspective about the personalities on trial.