How I Feel About the Derek Chauvin Verdict

I'm disappointed by the Derek Chauvin verdict.  Guilty on all three counts?  I don't think he was guilty of murder.  Manslaughter, maybe.  I think that George Floyd was killed by a fentanyl overdose.  I have my reasons.

• He had two to three times the fatal dose of fentanyl in his system, as well as methamphetamine.  
• He seemed to be out of his mind as he hysterically resisted arrest and fought with the police.  
• He said over and over, "I can't breathe," when he was standing up, walking around and wrestling with the police officers -- well before Chauvin was on top of him.  
• Chauvin's knee was not on his neck the whole time, but also on his shoulders and back.  
• The autopsy report showed no damage to Floyd's trachea.  
• Floyd had heart disease, which would have made the fentanyl even more deadly.  
• The medical examiner Dr. Andrew Baker testified that Chauvin's knee had not blocked the carotid arteries carrying oxygen to Floyd's brain.  
• The same doctor said that had Floyd had been found home alone with no evidence of trauma, he would have ruled his death an overdose.  

Even if you believe that the jury got it right (and many smart people do), one thing is for certain:  No evidence was presented to show that this had anything to do with race, and the jury did not convict Chauvin of racist intent.  If anything, the verdict is more evidence that America is not racist.  Police officers who kill black people in the line of duty are investigated and if necessary, punished for the misuse of force.  

Regardless of where you stand on this case, as Christians we can take comfort in knowing that God is in control.  He will use this for His glory.  He "works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will (Eph 1:11)."

We should pray for all those impacted by this case, including Derek Chauvin, and the families of Floyd and Chauvin.  We should pray that they will turn to Christ during this time, since God promises that He will work all things together for the good of those who love Him (Rm 8:28).  

We should pray that God would heal our nation of the racial tension caused by wokeism (aka critical race theory) -- the narrative that America is systemically racist, all white people are racist, and all racial disparities are evidence of racist institutions.  

And we should pray for the police officers in our country who daily put their lives on the line to keep us safe.  They have a difficult job to do, especially when someone is resisting arrest in front of a crowd of hostile onlookers all the while being recorded on video.  We need the police.  Urban communities need them the most.  We need them to take pride in their vocation, and we need them to do their job well.