WATCH: CNN Legal Analyst Laura Coates Speculates About An Acquittal In The Derek Chauvin Trial

Shortly before the judge in the George Floyd trial read former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdicts, CNN Legal Analyst Laura Coates suggested an acquittal could be imminent.

“What’s concerning though is we have a Pavlovian response in America that when we have pending verdicts and you see buildings start to be boarded up and businesses start to close, that trust gap that’s already there, between our justice system and members of our community, it expands exponentially. Because, in their minds, they say, ‘You’re preparing me for an acquittal. You’re telling me if it’s boarded up, you anticipate my unrest, my wrath, you anticipate the evolution of a protest into looting and other things,’” she explained.

Coates cited Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s decision to call the National Guard as a reason to believe an acquittal was coming.

“People believe, ‘Did you get a heads up, governor? Did you get a heads up, Mr. President? Did you get a heads up, judge? Do you know something that we do not know?’” Coates asked, speculating.

TIN FOIL HAT: CNN senior legal analyst Laura Coates suggests the boarding up of buildings and beefing up of security ahead of the verdict could be seen as proof local elected leaders and police received a heads up of what the verdict will be and it could be innocent. pic.twitter.com/jU9WQlxukb

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 20, 2021

Chauvin was ultimately found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. The jury deliberated for a little more than 10 hours.

“The judge explained that third-degree murder requires proof Mr. Chauvin caused Mr. Floyd’s death by committing an eminently dangerous act that was highly likely to cause death and showed a reckless disregard for human life. To convict Mr. Chauvin of second-degree manslaughter, the jurors would need to conclude that culpable negligence and reckless actions by Mr. Chauvin caused Mr. Floyd’s death,” the Wall Street Journal previously reported,

According to ABC News, second-degree murder carries a sentence of 10 3/4 years to 15 years, with a maximum of 40 years; third-degree murder carries a sentence of 10 3/4 years to 15 years, with a maximum of 25 years; and second-degree manslaughter carries a sentence of 41 to 47 months, with a maximum of 10 years.

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