>> CAL PERRY FOR US FOLLOWING
ALL OF IT.
THANK YOU.
>>> LET’S TURN TO PAUL BUTLER.
MR. BUTLER IS A LAW PROFESSOR AT
GEORGETOWN SCHOOL OF LAW.
HE IS ALSO A FORMER FEDERAL
PROSECUTOR AND AN NBC NEWS LEGAL
ANALYST.
FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS
CONVERSATION, HE IS THE AUTHOR
"CHOKE HOLD, POLICING BLACK
MEN."
PAUL, LET’S START WITH THE TRIAL
STRATEGY HERE.
WE JUST MENTIONED THAT
PROSECUTORS ARE GOING TO PUSH
TODAY TO RESTORE A THIRD DEGREE
MURDER CHARGE AGAINST DEREK
CHAUVIN.
CHAUVIN CHARGED WITH SECOND
DEGREE MURDER AND MANSLAUGHTER.
FROM A PROSECUTOR’S PERSPECTIVE,
WHAT’S THE THINKING HERE?
>> THE LEGAL ISSUE HAS TO DO
WITH WHETHER THE MINNESOTA STATE
LAW, WHETHER THIRD DEGREE MURDER
APPLIES TO DEFENDANTS WHO TARGET
A SPECIFIC PERSON.
IT’S A COMPLICATED STATE LAW
ISSUE.
I THINK THE LEGAL PRECEDENT
FAVORS OF PROSECUTION.
THE COURT SHOULD ALLOW THE THIRD
DEGREE MURDER CONVICTION.
THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF WHAT
THE COURT DECIDES IS EVEN MORE
IMPORTANT, CRAIG.
IN DIFFICULT CASES, SOMETIMES
JURORS WILL COMPROMISE.
IN THIS CASE, IF THEY DON’T WANT
TO CONVICT OFFICER CHAUVIN OF
SECOND DEGREE MURDER, THE
PROSECUTION WANTS THEM TO HAVE
THE OPTION OF THIRD DEGREE
MURDER.
OTHERWISE, THE ONLY CHOICES THE
JURY WOULD HAVE WILL BE TO FIND
CHAUVIN NOT GUILTY OR TO CONVICT
HIM OF MANSLAUGHTER.
THE SENTENCE FOR MANSLAUGHTER IN
MINNESOTA IS TEN YEARS.
THE FAMILY AND ACTIVISTS WOULD
SAY THAT SENTENCE WOULDN’T FIT
THE CRIME.
>> MEANWHILE, PAUL, THERE’S THIS
INTERESTING HEADLINE IN "THE NEW
YORK TIMES."
MINNESOTA IS GOING TO PAY
INFLUENCERS TO FIGHT
MISINFORMATION DURING THE
OFFICER’S TRIAL.
THE CITY WILL CONTRACT SIX
INFLUENCERS FOR $2,000 EACH TO
SHARE, QUOTE, CITY GENERATED AND
APPROVED MESSAGES.
I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING
LIKE THAT.
I DON’T KNOW IF YOU HAVE HEARD
OF ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU?
>> I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF IT.
IT’S NOT UNUSUAL FOR CITIES TO
REACH OUT TO COMMUNITY LEADERS
IN ADVANCE OF HIGH PROFILE,
CONTROVERSIAL TRIALS.
WHAT’S DIFFERENT IS THAT THESE
ARE SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS.
THEY ARE BEING PAID.
THEY’RE GOING TO BE KIND OF LIKE
JOURNALISTS, REPORTING ON THE
TRIAL, BECAUSE NOW MANY PEOPLE
GET THEIR NEWS FROM SOCIAL
MEDIA.
THESE REPORTERS WON’T BE
IMPARTIAL.
THEY WORK FOR THE CITY.
SO SOME PEOPLE WILL DISMISS THIS
AS GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED EDED
PROPAGANDA.
THE TRIAL IS TELEVISED.
ANYONE IN MINNEAPOLIS CAN WATCH
FOR THEMSELVES.
>> PAUL, I THINK THERE ARE
PROBABLY A LOT OF FOLKS WATCHING
US RIGHT NOW AND LISTENING ON
SATELLITE RADIO WHO WOULD SAY,
WE SAW THE EVIDENCE.
WE SAW THE VIDEO.
HOW IS THIS NOT AT LEAST THIRD
DEGREE MURDER?
IT’S NOT A SLAM DUNK OF A CASE,
PAUL BUTLER.
EXPLAIN TO FOLKS WHY THAT MIGHT
BE.
>> CRAIG, NO CASE AGAINST A
POLICE OFFICER IS EVER A SLAM
DUNK.
ESPECIALLY A MURDER PROSECUTION.
U.S. COPS KILL ABOUT 1,000
PEOPLE EVERY YEAR, MOST OF THOSE
SHOOTINGS ARE RULED AS
JUSTIFIED.
IN THE RARE CASES IN WHICH
OFFICERS ARE CHARGED WITH
MURDER, THE COPS USUALLY WIN.
THE CHARGES ARE THROWN OUT OR
THE OFFICER IS FOUND NOT GUILTY.
YES, THIS CASE HAS COMPELLING
EVIDENCE.
BUT IN OTHER PROSECUTIONS,
THERE’S BEEN VIDEOTAPE,
EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY AND THERE
STILL HAVE NOT BEEN CONVICTIONS.
>> PAUL BUTLER, WE WILL LEAVE IT