Derek Chauvin scribbled lawyer's number on his hand BEFORE conviction to be able discuss next steps
Derek Chauvin was found guilty of all three charges against him in the death of George Floyd on Tuesday. While he was being escorted out of the Minneapolis courtroom, people noticed that he had scribbled down his lawyer's phone number on the palm of his hand. The number was visible as he stood up from his seat inside the courtroom and is believed to belong to his lawyer Eric Nelson.
TMZ speculated that Chauvin wrote the number down before the verdict was passed, and he had anticipated that his bail would in fact be revoked. The charges that Chauvin was found guilty of are second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.
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The sentencing is still awaited, and Chauvin is being held at the maximum-security prison Oak Park Heights in Minneapolis. It has also been reported that he is likely to appeal, despite the fact that the odds are not good. According to a report in USA Today, 90 percent of appeals are denied across the United States. It is not clear as to what issues will be raised by Chauvin's attorney if an appeal is filed.
It is reported that the most likely avenue of appeal will be the publicity that was given to the case and the judge's denial to move the case out of Minneapolis. Jude Peter Cahill also refused to sequester the jury throughout the trial to ensure that media's opinions did not trickle through and influence their decision. It is also believed that his attorneys will raise the civil settlement that took place with the city and Floyd's family.
The argument according to a report in Reuters is that the jury was prejudiced by the media coverage and the settlement in the civil case. Despite all of this, legal experts believe that chance of successfully appealing is slim. Paul Applebaum claimed that to lodge a successful appeal, Chauvin's attorney will have to prove that Judge Cahill engaged in an "abuse of discretion" or that he clearly made a mistake that was unreasonable or against evidence.
After the verdict, Chauvin was transferred from the custody of the Hennepin Country Sheriff's Department to that of the Minnesota Department of Corrections. The DOC then booked Chauvin at 4:55 pm. At this time, he has been put in a segregated unit which is termed as the administrative control unit of the Oak Park Heights' Correctional facility. According to the DOC site, it was stated that "this type of restricted housing is not disciplinary in nature" and said, "Sometimes it is used during pending investigations or when continued presence in the general population could pose a particular safety concern."
Supporters of Chauvin, who believe that the trial was unfair, have also recorded their opinion on social and want to set up a GoFundMe page to help him appeal.