Prosecuting attorney Steve Schleicher used his closing arguments to once again outline why ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's actions on May 25, 2020, were a "felony level of assault."
"As you know, in the laws in this state, if you commit a certain level of assault, a felony level of assault, and the person dies as a result of your assault, you are guilty of murder. It's as simple as that," the attorney said.
"And what the defendant did here was a straight-up felony assault, this was not policing. It was unnecessary, it was gratuitous, it was disproportionate. And he did it on purpose. No question. This was not an accident," Schleicher told the jury.
"He did not trip and fall, and find himself upon George Floyd's knee and neck. He did what he did on purpose, and it killed George Floyd," the prosecuting attorney said.
"That force, for nine minutes and 29 seconds — that killed George Floyd," he said.
The prosecution went on to say Chauvin "betrayed the badge" and "abandoned his values" and the training.
Chauvin is charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's death. He has pleaded not guilty.







