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I have a few minutes before the Chauvin trial resumes, so a few observations from inside the courtroom today. Dr. Martin Tobin seemed to have the jury& #39;s full attention from start to finish today. When he talked, they listened. When the prosecution played a video, they watched.
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And when he made a major point, they took notes. A few samples: When Tobin said Floyd died from a low level of oxygen, or asphyxia, nearly every juror was taking notes.
When he went on to explain the cause of Floyd& #39;s low oxygen level was shallow breathing, the one juror who hadn& #39;t taken notes, started taking notes.
As Dr. Tobin explained how during the first five minutes Chauvin’s right knee was on Floyd’s arm and rammed into his left chest, most are still taking notes after he’s explained this.
As Tobin explained how the handcuffs were an extremely important factor, combined with the street, most were taking notes.
Then when Dr. Tobin explained how we breath, they were almost all watching the doctor, not taking notes, as he explained the pump handle and bucket handle.
An aside: during the sidebar over Nelson’s objection to a graphic, I’m surprised how many of the jurors immediately start chatting with one or two others. The way three of the jurors immediately started chatting you wonder what they’re discussing, since they’re strangers.
When the doctor begins demonstrating and inviting the jurors to find their Adam’s apple, etc. most of them did it, then took notes. After a sidebar, during which I assume Nelson questioned this, the judge told jurors they don’t have to do anything the witness instructs.
When the doctor continued, most of the jurors continued to do it to themselves anyway. When the doctor said all of Chauvin’s body weight was directed on Floyd’s neck when his toe was off the ground, most jurors wrote this down.
When the doctor said you can’t speak without your brain being active, Nelson asks for a sidebar and several jurors take notes, many continue to examine the illustration still on the video screens.
As they played a video on the calculation of Floyd’s lung volume while he’s sitting on the sidewalk, all jurors I could see (all but one) watched the video, and as the doctor was explaining somewhat complicated medical stuff about the ELV, the jurors all look at him and listen.
As Tobin explains why it’s not dangerous to sleep face down, but it can be fatal to deal with everything Floyd was dealing with, ending with that “then it’s a whole different kettle of fish,” most jurors took note — literally.
After Tobin says it doesn’t matter if Chauvin’s right knee was on Floyd’s back, neck, arm or side, most jurors write this down. After he explains the 43% reduction in ELV and how Floyd was fighting against the street, one juror appears to be looking directly at Chauvin.
Virtually all of the jurors took notes after Tobin said Chauvin kept the knee on more than three minutes after the doctor believes Floyd had no oxygen left.
When Tobin says it’s true that “if you can speak, you can breathe” but it gives an “enormous false sense of security” because that doesn’t mean you’ll be breathing five seconds later, one juror seems to nod her head in agreement.
When Tobin says if you stop the flow of oxygen, you lose consciousness in 8 seconds, and after video is played showing Floyd’s legs moving backwards, & Tobin says, “You’re seeing here fatal injury to the brain from a lack of oxygen,” almost all the jurors take notes.
As Tobin explains how Floyd’s carbon dioxide level went up exactly as much as you’d expect after a 9:50-minute gap after he took his last breath, almost all jurors took notes.
And when they played (Exhibit 404) with Floyd’s eyes flickering, and then Tobin says “so one second he’s alive, and one second he is no longer,” and says at 20:20:53 “That’s the moment the life goes out of his body” most jurors were writing; Chauvin was looking down.
Tobin explained how Floyd was moving his hips & rocking to try to get air, and the knee restraint continued 3:27 minutes after he stopped breathing, & 2:44 minutes after officers found no pulse. Then they did a sidebar; most jurors wrote notes rather than chatting. Back to court!
