By Marjaan Sirdar, Freelance Columnist and host of the People Power Podcast

After the first week filled with powerful and explosive testimonies, week two of the Derek Chauvin murder trial began with Chief Arradondo taking the stand stating unequivocally that Chauvin violated MPD policy when he killed George Floyd with his knee on Floyd’s neck. Arradondo’s role is to make viewers forget that Floyd was murdered under his leadership, along with Dolal Idd and others. Viewers outside of Minneapolis are in the dark about the facts that MPD officers are still using chokeholds as demonstrated recently with the violent eviction of a homeless encampment in North Minneapolis. 

Week one, which was full of emotional testimonies from several experts and key witnesses, including children, implicating former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd, left viewers with serious questions: 

• Why didn’t Chauvin tell his boss he used the chokehold? 
• What role did the man in the passenger seat of Floyd’s car, Maurice Hall, play in the events that led to Floyd’s death?
• Why did MPD say Floyd had drugs in his system immediately following his death, before official results came in and how did they know?
• Will the state put Chauvin’s background on trial like the defense is doing Floyd?

Look for the answers to these questions and more in week two and beyond. 

The executive director of Common Cause Minnesota and former criminal defense attorney, Annastacia Belladonna-Carrera spoke with the People Power Podcast and told listeners what she’s looking for in order for the state to make its case against former officer Derek Chauvin: “I’m going to look for the state to be aggressive…”

Check out the full recap of week one in the Chauvin murder trial and Belladonna-Carrera’s interview below with the People Power Podcast.