When I wrote the previous message, I typed "I'm not watching the news too closely but I gather that the case against ex-cop Derek Chauvin in Minnesota is pretty weak." As quite a few of you figured out, I meant to type "I'm not watching the news too closely but I gather that the case against ex-cop Derek Chauvin in Minnesota is pretty strong" and I have corrected it.
Thank you to the (so far) eighteen people who knew what I meant and my apologies to the three of you who thought I was nuts to think the case was weak. And my main point, of course, was that the stronger the case seems in the press coverage, the more outraged people will be if this man gets off with a slap on the wrist or less.
One of the reasons for so much unrest on court decisions these days is that, more and more, there is cellphone video footage of the incidents. The Rodney King Riots in Los Angeles back in '92 probably would not have happened — or at least been so severe — had there not been video of the police beating the bejeezus out of Mr. King, thereby making the cops' acquittal seem more like the fix was in.