George Floyd and the Perfect Storm

The movie The Perfect Storm portrays the remarkable events which transpired in the North Atlantic Ocean during the fall of 1991. In late October, the commercial fishing boat Andrea Gail, captained by a man named Billy Tyne, had suffered a streak of meager fishing. Although it was late in the season, Tyne convinced his crew of six men to head out for one last expedition, hoping to redeem themselves. So the Andrea Gail departed from its home port of Gloucester, Massachusetts, heading for their familiar rich fishing grounds – the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Unfortunately, the Grand Banks failed to yield any significant catch. A frustrated Captain Tyne elected to head further offshore to a region called the Flemish Cap. There Captain Tyne and his crew do indeed find an abundant catch. But their jubilation is tempered when the boat’s ice machine breaks down. All their efforts will be for naught if they can’t get back to shore quickly before their magnificent catch spoils.

Meanwhile, there are ominous developments in the weather. Between the Andrea Gail and her home port of Gloucester, there was a strong low pressure system off the coast. At the same time, an equally strong high pressure system had positioned itself over the continent. The juxtaposition of these two systems created a tight pressure gradient and therefore very high winds. These conditions would have been more than enough to create dangerous seas, but there was yet a third factor to add to the mix. The remnants of hurricane Grace had moved northward up the coast, adding its own energy. This confluence produced a rare North Atlantic hurricane. (The National Weather Service elected not to designate a name for the storm, making it only the 8th hurricane not given a name since 1950.) Informally, the storm simply became known as the “Halloween storm.” The massive power of this tempest caused astounding 100 foot waves in the Atlantic. The movie depicts Captain Tyne and his crew facing a dilemma: avoid the storm and lose their hard won catch or risk a mad dash for home. With a strange mixture of courage and foolishness, they resolve to make for Gloucester – heading straight through the storm. Tragically, Captain Tyne and his crew underestimate the conditions. The Andrea Gail and all aboard are lost at sea.

It seems to me that the city of Minneapolis – and indeed the entire nation – is facing a similarly frightening set of events which threaten to create a perfect storm. The trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in regards to the death of George Floyd is scheduled to begin March 29. Mr. Chauvin has been charged with second degree murder and second degree manslaughter. If convicted, he could face up to 40 years in prison.

A great many people living in Minneapolis (and throughout the country) are implacably convinced that George Floyd was murdered by Officer Chauvin, aided and abetted by his three fellow officers. The bystanders’ video is indisputable. Officer Chauvin callously and cruelly pins George Floyd’s neck to the pavement for roughly 8 minutes. All the while, George Floyd repeatedly cries out that he can’t breathe and eventually loses consciousness. For many folks, anything less than a murder conviction will be a horrible injustice – adding further insult to the travesty of Mr. Floyd’s death. A lesser conviction of manslaughter, or even an outright acquittal, will be comprehensible only as a further manifestation of the systemic racism which pervades our nation. This narrative is widespread, eagerly encouraged by the media and many politicians like Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

Yet there are plenty of signs that this case will be anything but straightforward. The prosecution recently fought to add a third degree murder charge. This development clearly suggests that the prosecution lacks confidence in their ability to prove second degree murder. No doubt sensing they have over-charged Mr. Chauvin, the prosecution has added the lesser charge in order to give themselves another opportunity to get a murder conviction. Why would the prosecutors need to do that? What are they worried about? Well, it’s clear that with the trial rapidly approaching, Mr. Chauvin’s attorneys will be able to mount a vigorous defense, which will indubitably include the following:

• These officers did not single out Mr. Floyd by his race or any other factor. Rather, they were called to the scene by a shop owner who reported that Mr. Floyd had passed a counterfeit $20 bill and was behaving strangely.
• When the officers confronted Mr. Floyd in his car, he was immediately uncooperative. As per standard police procedure, Officer Thomas Lane ordered Mr. Floyd to show his hands. When Mr. Floyd did not comply with repeated commands, Officer Lane appropriately pulled his sidearm until Mr. Floyd finally placed his hands upon the steering wheel, whereupon Officer Lane holstered his weapon.
• Officers quickly suspected that Mr. Floyd had engaged in significant drug use. His conduct was highly erratic. He was unable to walk or even stand, and the officers noted he was foaming around his mouth. Mr. Floyd initially denied drug use, but moments later admitted he had been “hooping” – a slang term for taking drugs per rectum.
• When the Officers tried to place Mr. Floyd in the patrol vehicle, he vigorously resisted. At no time during this struggle did the officers beat or abuse Mr. Floyd. Rather, they simply tried to push or pull him into the vehicle. Officer Lane even offers to roll down the windows and turn on the air conditioning.
• While the officers were attempting to place him in the patrol vehicle, George Floyd repeatedly stated that he couldn’t breathe, long before Officer Chauvin’s knee was on his neck.
• Toxicology report showed 11 ng/ml of Fentanyl in George Floyd’s blood. This is anything but incidental drug use. Fentanyl levels of only 3 ng/ml can cause overdose death. Floyd’s blood Fentanyl was therefore nearly four times the potential lethal dose and strongly suggests that Fentanyl overdose was the the primary, if not the sole cause of death – a fact acknowledged by the chief medical examiner Dr. Andrew Baker.
• The initial autopsy showed no signs of damage to Mr. Floyd’s upper airway. There was therefore no evidence to suggest George Floyd died from traumatic asphyxia or strangulation. (Another pathologist hired by Mr. Floyd’s family later did make that assertion.)
• Autopsy also demonstrated that Mr. Floyd’s lungs were filled with fluid and weighed 2-3x normal. This is completely consistent with pulmonary edema due to drug overdose and explains why Mr. Floyd was foaming at the mouth.
• The restraining technique used by the police officers, including Officer Chauvin, is officially approved and taught by the Minneapolis Police Department. The length of time that the officers applied this technique will be hotly contested. However, the defense will no doubt be able point to the fact that, despite widespread use, there have been no others deaths because of this technique. Moreover, many police encounters spin suddenly out of control when the suspect spots an opportunity. The safest situation for everyone – police, suspects, and bystanders – is to keep suspects restrained.

The prosecutors are certainly not the only ones who are concerned. The Hennepin County courthouse now looks like a war zone, with multiple rows of concrete barriers, chain link fencing and barbed wire. Windows are boarded up. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has stated that more than 3,000 police officers and Minnesota National Guard soldiers will be on duty when the jury reveals Mr. Chauvin’s fate. There will no doubt be many peaceful demonstrations during the trial. Equally certain, plenty of villainous characters will be plotting violence and destruction. These troublemakers have had months to plan and organize. Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Frey were heavily criticized after George Floyd’s death when local law enforcement was overwhelmed by violent riots. The third police precinct building was infamously abandoned and promptly burned down. Entire city blocks were destroyed in south Minneapolis. Total damages were estimated at $350 million. The trial of Derek Chauvin holds just as much potential for murder and mayhem – perhaps even more.

Tensions are understandably high among potential jurors. One potential juror was dismissed after expressing concerns that his name would be released. He worried that if Chauvin was acquitted, a bloodthirsty mob would attack his home and harm him or his family. If such thoughts have not occurred to the other potential jurors, then they haven’t been paying attention. There will be strong pressure for a murder conviction. It’s far from certain that Mr. Chauvin will be able to get a fair trial.

Thus the perfect storm seems to be forming. Minneapolis has already suffered greatly. The police force has been demoralized and crippled. Violent crime has soared. Businesses and residents have fled.

The storm that doomed the Andrea Gail resulted from three basic factors: strong high and low pressure systems plus a tropical storm. The city of Minneapolis faces powerful forces as well. The first powerful force is the narrative of America as a nation plagued by systemic racism. Driven by the media and the political left, there are many people in our country who sincerely believe that police officers routinely beat and murder black young men. Black communities have come to believe that white supremacy gives them no chance to succeed in America. The second force is the true reality of America today. While our nation no doubt does suffer sporadic racism, the simply truth is that the United States is the most free and open society in human history. In 1991, liberal Harvard sociologist Orlando Patterson (who is himself black) said, America “is now the least racist white-majority society in the world; has a better record of legal protections of minorities than any other society, white or black; offers more opportunities to a greater number of black persons than any other society, including all of those in Africa.” Study after study have shown no evidence for systemic racism in our police and court systems.

Like the high and low pressure systems that helped form the perfect storm, these two competing visions of America have created a dangerous and deadly tension. The breaking point came when George Floyd’s death hit the news. Floyd’s death was like the remnant of hurricane Grace which infused enormous energy into an already treacherous situation. Those people whose worldview is founded upon America’s incurable racism saw in George Floyd’s death clear confirmation of their convictions. Now Derek Chauvin’s trial threatens to create another tempest, perhaps far worse than the first.

What can Christians do to avoid this looming tragedy? As always, the key is for Christians to stand up for the truth. We must refuse to be carried along by the distortions of the media. We must undertake the difficult task of showing people that America has been largely successful in throwing off the racism of her past. More than ever before, we’re a country where people of every color can flourish. Specifically, we must also help people understand that George Floyd’s death is not a simple story of a black man murdered at the hands of racist cops. Only by contending for the truth can we lessen the tension between the reality of America as it is and the twisted perception far too many people hold. If the media and left are allowed to control the narrative, the coming storm will be horrible. As law professor Jonathan Turley says, “if there is violence after the verdict, it will be far worse if the public is not aware upfront of the serious challenges in proving this case.”

I’m trying to do all that I can to prevent this storm. I pray for our city, our nation and its leaders. I mourn the heartbreaking death of George Floyd and hope that all Americans would re-commit themselves to liberty and justice for all. Yet still I see the storm approaching and fear that we may be like the Andrea Gail – pulled down to the depths, dooming all aboard.