This line of questioning by the defense makes zero sense.

[onecaliberal]

Are they trying to argue that chauvin had to leave his knee of Mr. Floyd's neck because the "crowd" was upset and they might escalate the situation?

If the police were really worried about the "crowd" they would have demonstrated that by placing the 3 officers sitting on Mr. Floyd at the front of the "crowd" instead.

[marble falls]

1. He's got to give his client a reason for continuing the kneeling. Cops have beaten murder raps ...

... by showing they had no choice, even if they were shown to be wrong - as long as they continue to say "I was in fear for my life". Stretching to "the crowd was threatening me and because of their threats caused me to lose my attention to how Mr Floyd was doing under my control." is an equivalent.

[Claustrum]

2. The bar to convict someone of murder is very high.

It is not just that you believe that person likely committed the murder. It has to be that you believe that person committed the murder without reasonable doubt. That means you believe 100% that the person committed the murder.

The counsel is simply throwing as many possible reasoning to create some small doubt that it is a justified use-of-force, even though none of the facts from the video support the over-the-top general hypotheticals.

[PJMcK]

3. If those cops were concerned about the crowd...

...they should have called for backup.

Nothing else makes sense except that Chauvin wanted to kill Mr. Lloyd.

[onecaliberal]

4. I keep thinking that too. They never checked on him. I mean what else could it be.

for at least 7 minutes he laid there motionless. It's still unfuckingbelievable.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Wanted to kill him? I suspect he just didn't give a shit whether or not he died.

[PJMcK]

7. Okay

From a practical point of view, what's the difference? Chauvin killed Mr. Lloyd. Period.

[WarGamer]

6. It's the firehose approach

Blast FUD at the Jury.

Give the 2 or 3 Trumpists (maybe 6?) on the Jury an excuse...

They will provide a counter-argument for every doubting Juror who will listen

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

12. Also called the "throw shit on the wall and see what sticks" defense.

Everyone was responsible for George Floyd's death other than the man who killed him.

[nolabear]

8. Now they're trying to say it was on his shoulder?

As though he didn’t have it on his neck? As though he didn’t kneel on that man’s neck and cut off his oxygen? As though this whole thing didn’t happen?

What the actual fuck?

[onecaliberal]

9. That was only at the very end when the ambulance rolled up.

[nolabear]

10. Oh I know. But what was the point?

Clearly the redirect is handling it.

[onecaliberal]

11. They'll clear it up. They're talking about how he shouldn't have used that level of force without

calling a supervisor. Chauvin NEVER followed policy. He did not use the proper level of force at any point. When it starts off pulling a gun on a guy over a 20 dollar bill. This should never have happened. If this fucker gets off, I will have to go to the street. We can not allow the police to codify the killing of black men for no reason any longer.

[WarGamer]

13. Coroners report oughta' prove that's BS, right?