CNN Senior Legal Analyst Laura Coates Mocked for Hot Take on Derek Chauvin’s Defense Strategy: Does the ‘Junior Legal Analyst’ Know Less Than You?

Sarah RumpfApr 19th, 2021, 5:05 pm
 

CNN Senior Legal Analyst Laura Coates drew a wave of criticism for a tweet she posted during the beginning of the defense’s closing argument during the Derek Chauvin trial, getting mocked for seemingly misunderstanding or misstating a basic legal principle.

“Defense begins the closing by defining reasonable doubt, not with why [Chauvin] is innocent,” wrote Coates. “Think about that.”

Without getting too far into the legal weeds, the standard for a criminal defense does not require that they prove “innocence.” In fact, under our legal system, the defense doesn’t have to prove anything at all; they merely have to argue that the prosecution failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

It also wouldn’t make practical sense to try to argue “innocence” in this case. There is no question that Chauvin was there at the scene when George Floyd was arrested, and it is Chauvin who is seen in the multiple police body cams and bystander videos kneeling on Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. The defense has not disputed that he was there, or that he didn’t do what he did; they’ve argued that what Chauvin did was acceptable as a reasonable use of police force.

Twitter users swiftly pounced on Coates’ tweet, including several other attorneys, flabbergasted at her misrepresentation of a concept that is taught to 1Ls, first year law students.

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Sarah Rumpf - Contributing Editor

Sarah Rumpf joined Mediaite in 2020 and is a Contributing Editor focusing on politics, law, and the media. A native Floridian, Sarah attended the University of Florida, graduating with a double major in Political Science and German, and earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the UF College of Law. Sarah's writing has been featured at National Review, The Daily Beast, Reason, Law&Crime, Independent Journal Review, Texas Monthly, The Capitolist, Breitbart Texas, Townhall, RedState, The Orlando Sentinel, and the Austin-American Statesman, and her political commentary has led to appearances on television, radio, and podcast programs across the globe. Follow Sarah on Threads, Twitter, and Bluesky.