Floyd's drug use playing a central role the prosecution, arguing Floyd did not die of a drug overdose because he built a tolerance struggling with an addiction for years. Prosecutors also argued Floyd's behavior in the video was not consistent with someone overdosing and passing out. Rather, a video show Floyd being killed while unarmed in police custody. His size. There were five grown, been armed police officers who were on the scene over a fake twenty dollar bill. Chauvin's
defense hit back, saying Chauvin was following his training. Kneeling on Floyd's neck. Derek Chauvin did exactly what he had been trained to do over the course of his nineteen year career. The defense painted Floyd as a criminal drug abuser who resisted arrest, saying Floyd took a lethal amount of drugs a speedball and fell asleep in his car outside of Cup Foods. He did not comply with police and ended up on the ground because through former officers
could not contain him. What was Mr Floyd's actual cause of death? The evidence will show that Mr. Floyd died of a cardiacorhythmia. Oh boy, so did he die? Basically of a drug overdose or did he die because of the knee on his neck? Is that the argument? Wow, that could well be the argument. And let's bring in a special guest to discuss that and more. Leo Terrell as the civil rights attorney Fox News contributor host of the podcast Leo Torrell, America's fair minded civil rights attorney. Leo,
how are you, sir man? Thank you for having me. I'm fine, I just came back from Minneapolis, but I'm glad to be on your show to talk about this very hard, difficult, unusual and national impact case. Well, it is that, and I just want to say personally, I've really appreciated your commentary on it so far because to to try to whip people up on one side or the other as opposed to all approaching this as Americans want to make sure everybody's civil rights are available to them,
I just think it's dangerous and it's ugly. I think you're right, and let me be very clear, I think what the attorney Benjamin Crump did and Alice Sharpie at the head yesterday outside the courthouse was an insult to the rule of law. This case is being tried inside a courtroom, not in the court of public opinion. I'll let the facts play out in the courtroom. But I think what they did yesterday was an insult. Coupled with the fact that they announced a civil settlement, they did
nothing more than try to influence the jury pool. I found it disgusting. Is it gonna come down to did he die of a drug overdose or was the need the cause? Is that really going to be the whole the whole thing. I think that will be a major significant factor. And I think the second part will be whether or not the use of force was in police policy, and that is going to be the battle of the expert.
You're gonna have a battle of the experts on the medical causation and a battle of the expert on police tactics and trainee. Those are gonna be the two key significant issues that the jury will have to decide. Leah, what were your impressions of the opening statements yesterday? Well, I'll tell you right now. In my opinion, I thought the prosecution is very clear they're gonna rely on the nine minute video where the defendant officer is kneeling on
Jorge floyd neck. My suggestion is do not overplay it because you will numb the jury. A law Rodney King first trial, you overplay, you numb the jury. I think that if the prosecution focuses just on that video, they're going to leave out other significant facts. A law of the defense, the defense wants to show the jury the totality of everything and how George Floyd was acting prior to the kneeling on his neck, and I think as
a juror, I want to know all the facts. All the defense has to do is kid one jury to say, you know what, I don't see beyond the reasonable doubt. Therefore, I'm gonna hang up this jury and you're gonna have a mistrial. So I'll tell you right now. Pressure all on the prosecution. I also believe they overcharged the case. Oh really go into detail on that. Why do you think so? Because a second degree murder case charge which they have against the officer imply some form of intent.
And if I'm the prosecutor, I'm I mean, if I'm the defense attorney, I would put the Derrick Chaven on the witness stands. I never intended to kill this man, and I think the second degree murder charge I think, well, they politically motivated charge to please a certain segment of the country, and I think it's overcharging. I think involuntary manslaughter,
you want to get a conviction, you don't overcharge. And I think that the second degree murder charge asked for too much of a mental intent on the part of this officer to kill George Floyd. I don't believe he had the middle intent to kill George Floyd. You know, we can certainly go back to the particulars of the trial, Jack, if you'd like to in a minute. But Leo, as long as you mentioned that, we're talking to Leo Terrell, civil rights attorney hosted the podcast Leo Torrell, America's fair
Minded civil rights Attorney. We're pretty concerned that given some of the race baiting and the whipping of people up um, that if there is an acquittal or even a hung jury, American cities are gonna burn. There's gonna be a lot of violence. Is that an unfounded fear or do you agree?
You're a trillion percent correct? I think regardless of the outcome, uh, in celebration of a charge of a conviction, a hung jury, a mistrial, an acquittal, you're gonna have city Bernie, You're gonna have a Democratic Cities Burnie, because I know this sounds crazy that it seems to me that the allegation of racism white supremacy has been utilized to the advantage
of a particular political party. I don't want to mention any party the Democrat and I think it's been played up to a point where it's it's thrown out there automatically, automatically, and I find it. I find him insulting as a self right's attorney. Uh, and I find it uh also insulting because and that was the reason why I left the Democratic Party. Well, they al Sharpton crowd outside the court house yesterday they said this trial is about putting
the entire American justice system on trial. So of course, you know, you make the stakes that big, and you're you're setting a scene for a lot of mayhem. Unfortunately, hey are they I'm concerned they're not gonna be able to keep the the jurors identities secret, and you know, if any of their names get out, they're gonna be fearing for their lives. I'm afraid. I think you're correct.
I think this jury should have been sequestered. I mean, you look at what the Shenanigans, Al Sharpton and bankrupt did yesterday. How the world are you gonna keep these jurors protected from the social media that's out there bombardi the entire world on this case. The entire world is watching this case, it's being televised, and this jury was not sequestered. Shame, Shame on the jury system, on the
criminal justice system. This jury should have been shielded from the Alice Sharptons, from all the court of public opinion that's out there that's going to be bombarding them for the next six or seven weeks. Leo Terrell is a civil rights attorney and host of the podcast Leo Terrell,
America's fair minded civil rights Attorney. Leo, I hope we can stay in touch because we really value people like you who actually are trying to protect people's civil rights and trying to improve the country as opposed to tearing it apart. So great to talk to you, sir, Thank you very much. I find an honor to be on your program. Please feel free to call me again. We will stuff right there.