I am watching the WCCO-TV livestream tonight. I reflect back to when I was a magistrate in Iowa for one year, and came to believe that in the judiciary it is the most underrated position. It is the place where people were most likely to confront the judicial branch. I saw so many people. I felt like that position was the primary judicial barrier between civilized society and anarchy.
Because of high unemployment rates, people have more time on their hands. Just now (12:53 a.m.), a reporter said that around Noon she was told police were considering abandoning the 3rd precinct. The anchors are questioning the reporter in disbelief about this surprising information live at 12:53 a.m. The 3rd precinct was set afire at about 10:30 p.m. or so. There had been about 3-cops firing various things at crowds but they apparently found a way to retreat. There should have been more security.
The video of the killing of George Floyd was brutal. I lived in Minneapolis one summer when I was in college. It is such a great city and had relatively low crime rate. To see the city on fire is brutal. It is anarchy. Many people protesting have a legitimate grievance over what happened, but you still must have governmental security. All of this is horrific, and it would be less horrific if COVID-19 were not present - people would have less time on their hands.
From a criminal law perspective, failure to render aid, would not ordinarily be a criminal violation. Assault causing serious injury, willful injury, and murder are criminal violations. I believe Derek Chauvin is at high risk for criminal liability whereas the others are at high risk for civil liability.
If an administrator thinks my post is too far off-topic remove my post. I won't argue. I am very saddened by all of these developments.
Now the anchors at WCCO-TV just after 1 a.m. here say they hear sounds of rocks being thrown at their building and hesitate. This is as bad as Charlottesville and the Watts riots in the 1960s. My, oh my.
