The Trial of Derek Chauvin ⚖️
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👨⚖️ First, we discuss the trial of Derek Chauvin, the officer accused of killing George Floyd in 2020. We recommend listening with a grown-up.⚖️ How does a trial like this work? 🌏 Then we learn about young activist Isra Hirsi, and the inspiring work she's doing with the US Youth Climate Strike.✊🏾 Plus! The Trivia Question of the Day!
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Transcript
Various voices 0:00
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Bethany Van Delft 0:06
From the courtroom to social media, in the next 10 minutes, we'll get the lowdown on what's up with the fight for social justice. I'm Bethany Van Delft and this is The Ten News.
Last May the death of George Floyd in the hands of Minneapolis police sparked nationwide protests and drew global attention to the issue of police brutality and racial inequality in law enforcement in the United States. The trial of Derek Chauvin, the officer accused of killing George Floyd, began on March 29, and is still underway. Our correspondent Pamela Kirkland is here to explain what's happened so far and how a trial like this one works. You might want a grown-up with you while you listen to talk about what's going on and answer any questions you might have.
Pamela Kirkland 1:01
There's a major trial happening to find out whether the man accused of killing George Floyd is innocent or guilty. Derek Chauvin, a white former Minneapolis police officer, is accused of murder and manslaughter after kneeling on the neck of George Floyd a black man for nearly 10 minutes. It happened while Chauvin was arresting him for allegedly paying with a fake $20 bill at a convenience store. Cell phone video from the day shows Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck Floyd sang he couldn't breathe in a nearby crowd telling Chauvin to get up. Floyd's death sparked protests against racism and police brutality around the world. So if we already know what happened, why is there a trial? In a criminal trial like this one, there's a defendant or the person accused of breaking the law, that's Derek Chauvin in this case, and there's a prosecutor the person trying to prove the defendant did something wrong. It's the prosecutor that has the tougher job of proving the case because a defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty. Lawyers for Derek Chauvin say he was just doing what he was trained to do as a police officer and that his kneeling isn't the reason that George Floyd died. But the prosecutor says that Chauvin's knee on George Floyd's neck was an unnecessary use of force. During the trial, both sides present evidence to the judge to prove their case. They'll call witnesses to testify or explain what they saw. Those witnesses can be anyone from experts like doctors, to regular people who just saw what happened. Chauvin's case is being presented in front of a jury, a group of 12 people picked by the court. And after hearing from both sides, the jury will make their decision of whether the defendant is innocent or guilty. As the trial began, some news sites and TV stations were wrongly calling this the George Floyd trial. And a lot of people called them out for it because that description is inaccurate. It makes it sound like Floyd is the one on trial, not the victim. It's the Derek Chauvin trial because Chauvin is the one who's on trial for his actions. Words are powerful, and it's important to remember that words matter.
Bethany Van Delft 3:24
Many people feel inspired to take action when they see injustice, including young people. 18-year-old activist Isra Hirsi is the daughter of Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and the co-executive director of US Youth Climate Strike, which is dedicated to protecting the planet through activism and educating people. On the ways climate change affects communities in unequal ways.
A Kid 3:51
Awesome.
Bethany Van Delft 3:52
Studies show that communities of color and low-income areas feel the effects of climate change first and more severely. Isra's climate justice work involves making space for Muslim and black youth leadership, which she feels is necessary for coming up with solutions to climate challenges that work for everyone.
A Kid 4:12
Way to go.
Bethany Van Delft 4:13
She believes that there are many things that have created the climate crisis that we're facing, including capitalist economies that put making money ahead of the health of people or the environment. Isra's also great at using social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter to boost her voice and causes. She's even a featured guest at this year's VidCon which brings together the world's leading digital creators and their fans.
A Kid 4:40
Cool.
Bethany Van Delft 4:45
Okay, it's time for:
Sound Bit 4:48
What, what, what's the big idea?
Bethany Van Delft 4:51
Trivia on The Ten. What did the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee recently say it will allow at upcoming Olympic trial events? A) selfie stations, B) political demonstrations or C) an in-person audience.
Did you guess it? The answer is B. Late last month, the USOPC said it will let athletes respectfully voice their political views, meaning they can do things like take a knee at a podium or wear a hat that says Trans Lives Matter. Still, that doesn't mean you'll see this at the main event. The USOPC is only in charge of the competitions that determine which athletes go on to represent the United States. Organizers of the Tokyo Olympics this August haven't announced any changes to their position on protests so far. The Olympic Charter allows no kind of demonstration.
A Kid 6:01
Bummer.
Bethany Van Delft 6:02
But that hasn't stopped people in the past like Tommie Smith and John Carlos. at the Summer Olympics in 1968, the American runners raised their fists as a symbol of support for the human rights movement as they stood on the podium after winning gold and bronze medals.
Time's up. But before we go, here's a quick note for the grownups. Do you love free stuff? And The Ten News? Awesome, cuz we're giving away a Ten News t-shirt from our online store for free. Yes, free 99. One lucky winner will pick their favorite t-shirt design from our store and it's theirs. To enter for a chance to win and for full terms and conditions. Click the link in the show notes or visit thetennews.com/contest. And be sure to check out all the other fun stuff we have available like tote bags, masks, you name it, check it out, and good luck.
Thanks for listening to The Ten News. Look out for new episodes on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and extras on Saturdays. The Ten News is a co-production of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts and it's distributed by iHeartRadio. The production and editorial team is a real force for good including Tracey Crooks, Pete Musto, Ben Austin DoCampo, Jenner Pascua, Stephen Tompkins, and Sarah Olender. Pamela Kirkland contributed to this episode. Our production director is Jeremiah Tittle, and The Ten News is executive produced by Donald Albright and show creator Tracy Leeds Kaplan. Do you want to be part of this show? We would love to have you! Have a grown-up help you record a question or a joke or a fun fact do you want to share and email it to us at hell@thetennews.com and show your love for The Ten News by going to your favorite podcast app and submitting a rating and review. It helps others find the show so they can join the fun. I'm Bethany Van Delft, and thanks for listening to The Ten News.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Sources for this episode
https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/10/11/20904791/young-climate-activists-of-color
https://psci.princeton.edu/tips/2020/8/15/racial-disparities-and-climate-change
https://e360.yale.edu/features/unequal-impact-the-deep-links-between-inequality-and-climate-change
https://strikewithus.org/ydaf/
https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2021/03/30/olympic-protests-trials-podium-raised-fists-kneeling/
https://www.vox.com/2020/1/9/21058912/summer-olympics-tokyo-ban-athlete-protests
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Olympics_Black_Power_salute
