XAVIER JACKSON
These next words will not be easy for most of you to receive. Nor are they easily delivered. I am asking you to trust the discomfort, to embrace it.
It may light a path for us to yet escape … Ourselves.
I believe Derek Chauvin, along with the other three officers presently serving time for the murder of George Floyd, should be given another trial. Yes, I watched the streaming film “The Fall of Minneapolis” and found it to be the worst kind of right-wing mind control, while also being slick and compelling.
Americans have a duty to protect the rights of those with whom they disagree. When we place preservation of our principles above our personal prospects, our nation’s values are fortified. We all stand a little taller and project the kind of integrity a great nation can be built upon.
Occupying a sympathetic space for one of the most hated men of this generation is incredibly difficult for me personally because of “That look.” I have recalled the smug indifference on former officer Chauvin’s face countless times since that heartbreaking Memorial Day in 2020.
I would spare him but one sentence should he and I ever cross paths. “That was a living, breathing person beneath your knee and he was begging for his life … you feckless animal.”
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin glares at onlookers as he arrests George Floyd in May, 2020.
CNN.COM
His face bore a generational hatred that is familiar to every Black person in America. It declared his eternal enmity with skels, toads, thugs, punks … with me, as an unmistakable and piercing punctuation of my place in this society.
His look — that look — echoed a familiar warning across time and space: “You can be chosen for oblivion, too … boy.”
Justice for all
I believe former officer Chauvin contributed to the death of George Floyd, but I have come to believe he did not get a fair trial. There was quite a lot of bungling by others that could have changed the outcome that day.
Body camera footage, prior to Chauvin even being on the scene, shows Floyd speaking rapidly with pressured speech. Instead of seeing a suspect, medical personnel would have seen someone who needed treatment for a psych condition or under the influence of powerful drugs. Cops are not good at making that distinction.
Fire rescue personnel were dispatched to the call from a few blocks away and took 20 minutes to arrive at the scene. The city even settled a civil lawsuit with the family for $27 million before the criminal trial even started.
A Chauvin conviction was a forgone conclusion.
The city of Minneapolis hoisted the flag of surrender to the emotions of an angry mob — a police precinct burned while officers fled for their lives. The leadership of that city and state manufactured a quick resolution to a discomfiting mess. The Chief of Police, according to the film, even lied about the department training that infamous kneeling posture while under oath on the witness stand.
Mob rules
Instead of getting the city’s house in order, officials hung the rank-and-file cops out to dry by letting them take the fall for a failure of leadership and protocol. That is not justice for George Floyd. Rather, it only ensures that there will be others who will suffer similar injustices.
I refuse to allow my dislike of anyone to invalidate their humanity. The act of standing up for the privileges and immunities of your enemies is the most patriotic of all. It builds character and defines you as a person with the fortitude to vigorously represent your beliefs with honor.
Like a true American should.
The most unified America has felt during my lifetime was during the months immediately following the attacks on 9/11 as shock gave way to rage and we collectively cried out for vengeance. Seemed like the entire world was reluctant to defy the voice of the American people and mostly stepped aside while we went down that rabbit hole in Iraq.
China and Russia grumbled a bit. English Prime Minister Tony Blair went against the entire constituency of the United Kindgom, sounding his own political death knell, rather than not support Dubya in his misguided quest. Few publicly defied us. No one took any real action to stop us.
They all knew better.
The right thing
When America combines her vast resources with the collective will of her people, the rest of the world admires us and tries to be like us. Democratic nations are falling to autocratic regimes all around the world, their people now without say in their fate. Our enemies form alliances and openly plot our demise while our government projects an impression of malignant impotence and toxic avarice.
President Biden would probably get a five-point bump in the polls if he came out and asked for a review of the convictions of all the cops serving time over the death of Floyd. This would show he is standing on principle while prioritizing truth over popularity and substance over soundbite. A true leader is guided by principle.
Contrast that with the inane, incoherent, and utterly sophomoric rhetoric coming from the unwatchable clown show in the House of Representatives. Our enemies are emboldened every single time Marjorie Taylor Greene opens her mouth, and someone should really tell Lauren Boebert that when our elected leaders misbehave like drunken whores in public, the terrorists win.
I am speaking to the adults in the room because I know many of you know better than to cast votes for leaders without vision, education or common sense. Living in the perpetual spin cycle of the present day, it is essential to grab hold of those principles we were taught to believe.
Many of us are able to understand the detrimental effect of the policies and entities in causes we support, but have no problem turning our heads when the injustices are landing on those with whom we disagree. America can no longer afford that luxury.
We may yet escape ourselves if we can abandon the shallow comforts afforded by entrenched bias and conflict. America’s promise of liberty and justice for all includes everyone … even shady cops.
Finally embracing that principle in earnest may be our last hope.
18 comments for “Xavier Jackson: Bad look — Derek Chauvin deserves another trial”
Recent Comments
Give him a new trial he deserves it
Agree !!!!
Derek Chauvin certainly deserves another trial. It is unfair that so much critical evidence was intentionally EXCLUDED from the trial including but not limited to: 1. Cam footage showing that Derek’s knee was not on the deceased’s neck; 2. The deceased had drugs in his mouth when he was arrested; 3. Medical evidence suggesting that he was overdosed with drugs prior to his death (including has
Fentanyl); 4. Medical evidence that he did not die of asphyxiation or strangulation; 5. The judge would not allow the manual showing that Derek used the MRT the technique which was in the police manual. 6. Other medical evidence confirming that no brutal force was used by any of the officers, yet all 4 are in prison. How can Americans live with such an unjust justice system. What does the prosecutor, democrat supporters of the 4 officers’ conviction (including democrat politicians like Pelosi) and the shameful Judge Peter A. Cahill from hell have to say about all this? It’s about time they are exposed.
Soooo right
See my post. Robin
I just think that Derek didn’t intend the final result. Showing off for his new charges and refusing to take orders from a group of onlookers. (Macho man attitude)
He is not a criminal,rapist,attacker,car jacker or dangerous…he served the public for 19 years….one year to retirement…. Why would he risk all that ? He is a victim of circumstance. If he ever knew death was really happening he would have changed course. I watched the entire 38 minute video and I saw poor George saying he couldn’t breathe even when alone in car back seat. So, he wasn’t taken seriously, later, unfortunately. I’m sorry for all involved. Being a cop is NO Easy job.
Amen!
Thank you for your bravery writing this article.
The Fall of Minneapolis was a huge eye opener.
So many lies…
The Fall of Minneapolis is blatantly misleading. Most of the body cam video was shown at the trial including the beginning of the incident. EMS took about 7 minutes to arrive from the time they were called when Floyd was on the ground. The entire incident took about 20 minutes. The police chief did not lie on the stand. The MRT was discussed by him and other witnesses at length. …You don’t get to call a mistrial when you have not watched the original trial. … It’s out there on the CSPAN website.
Please note, does anyone see a missing leg in this body footage? 18:23 to 18:42: https://bitchute.com/video/vAkPDAvHxYil Does it look like the officer is shocked and places back the left pant material?
I can’t comment on the terrible situation that occurred, because I am not well versed in the situation. However. I can comment on Mr. Xavier Jackson. This is a man, who should be admired and emulated. With criminals running for President of the United States, maybe we should look to people like him for the job. He sure would get my vote. This is the type of man who sees the whole picture, and makes intelligent decisions!
Derek chauvin did not intend to kill. He was exasperated by this whole situation and tired of certain repeat offenders. He would not have risked his freedom to this end. It is more of an unintentional manslaughter situation. Which is not a “life sentence “ conviction… I really be
I eve this. I wish Derek at least spoke at his trial to state his lack of judgment at the time and he – I’m sure wishes they just put the criminal in the car and drove off to headquarters. I think this was a drug overdose death. Just my opinion…
AGREED
I suffered an assault way worse than GF. I am proof = survived MRT
PRONE LIKE FLOYD
I am the victim of officer involved domestic violence – that was covered up by everyone in MN. I survived an assault way worse than GF.
The abuser is a Minneapolis police officer 3rd Precinct Sergeant.
Staples in my skull. Big toe broken. Ruptured implant. All teeth fractured. And NO CHARGES
See K Lawrence @ reallaketonka on X for injury pictures
Derek Chauvin was the scapegoat and he is being used to try and make up fir all the wrongdoings in the past against black men.He could have handled himself much better then he did but George Floyd was previously in a police car in the back seat and the other officers let him out because he could not breathe.IThis footage was not seen in court or on tv but was available online.
Are you kidding me? As a retired police officer, I can certainly tell you that, regardless of leadership or training deficiencies, every officer knows when they’re suffocating a person under the weight of their knee on their necks for over 9 minutes.
Chauvin got what he deserved in court, and on 11/24/23 in that law library.
The City of Minneapolis police department is responsible for the killing of 11 unarmed black men since 2006. The evidence points to an ongoing pattern far bigger than Chauvin. He is where he belongs. I want him to have another trial and another conviction. He is among the most despicable figures to make headlines in my lifetime.
This column is not in defense of Derek Chauvin. It is in defense of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. The point is that we are all diminished whenever ANYONE is deprived of their civil rights.
Minneapolis is the city where Jamar Clark, Philando Castile, Justine Damond, Dolal Idd, Daunte Wright, Winston Smith, Leneal Frazier, Amir Locke and Ricky
Cobb have all been unarmed victims that were killed by the police. The last six of those happened AFTER George Floyd.
Sending that slime, Chauvin to jail clearly did not solve the problem. … Derek Chauvin belongs in jail for the rest of his life.
Trying to inform and enlighten the readers of this publication has been interesting. … Thanks to all who took the time to read and understand.
I agree with this. The trial was politicized, and should have been held in a more neutral place. Thank you for having the courage to write this piece.
Derek Chauvin is innocent. George Floyd was a drug addict who had just committed multiple crimes. He suffered from a self-inflicted overdose and died as a result of his own actions. Police officers kneel on suspects’ backs to facilitate the arrest of said persons. Chauvin’s mistake (as well as the other officers’) was engaging with those vegetables in the crowd who were berating the police officers for attempting to do their job. Had they paid more attention to arresting Floyd and putting him in the squad car, he would have likely died under other circumstances. We would not be having this dialog, and innocent individuals wouldn’t be serving prison time for phony crimes that they obviously did not commit. Wikipedia wouldn’t be listing an innocent man as a murderer. Floyd’s family wouldn’t have been paid millions of dollars for nothing, and you wouldn’t have to pretend like Chauvin is a despicable human being while subtly proclaiming his possible innocence. The truth will set us all free…