Caller claims he's "big-thinking" liberal, but was convinced by Chauvin lawyer

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Richard from Seattle called into my SiriusXM program yesterday right before the verdict in the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, who was of course later found guilty on three counts in the killing of George Floyd.

I’d been discussing the trial, and in particular at the moment, how conservatives had taken Congresswoman Maxine Waters’ words out of context in their ridiculous claim that she had affected the jury with her appearance at a protest.

Richard said he was glad for that “context” I provided on Waters, and now had more “context” to offer and wanted more “context” from me on the trial. He claimed to be a “big-thinking liberal” who believes in “defunding” the police. But he said that he was persuaded by the closing arguments of Eric Nelson, Chauvin’s defense attorney, because it provided “context.”

Brian J. Karem @BrianKarem

Derek Chauvin is a convicted murderer. He was found guilty by a jury of his peers. This wasn't mob rule. It was a fair trial. His own police chief fired him and testified against him. He murdered a man in cold blood. Every decent human being I know was happy with the verdict.

I smelled a phony a mile away and reacted with suspicion, at which point Richard admitted he’d not seen the rest of the trial — just the closing arguments — and asked for me to give him the “context” of the rest of the trial. Like I’m going to go through the whole trial for him and waste everyone’s time?

It amazes me how right-wingers will do anything to try to poke holes in justice finally working for Black people who’ve been brutalized at the hands of the police. But this seemed utterly ludicrous.

Perhaps I’m wrong about his motives, though — take a listen to the short clip and let me know your thoughts.

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