A CBS News poll released Sunday reveals stark differences in opinion along party lines about the conviction of Derek Chauvin as nearly half of the Republicans surveyed said they believe jurors reached the wrong verdict. Good lord. That’s a lot of people.
The jury’s assessment—which found Chauvin guilty of second degree murder, third degree murder and second degree manslaughter—was broadly rated as the “right verdict” by the over 2,500 Americans surveyed for the poll.
Three-quarters of respondents said they agreed with the outcome, with just 25% diverging—a group composed of more men than women and that is disproportionately white and mostly conservative.
Political affiliation emerged as the most divisive dictator of opinions on the trial’s outcome, with 90% of Democrats saying jurors reached the right verdict, while a slim majority (54%) of Republicans said the same.
Nearly half (46%) of the Republicans surveyed felt the jury had come to the wrong decision in convicting Chauvin of murder versus just 10% of Democrats and 25% of Independents who thought the verdict was wrong.
It’s chilling that that many people could watch that videotape and think it can be excused. I will never understand it.