So, here's my take, for what its worth. Chauvin will go to prison. While I don't think Chauvin intentionally killed him, his actions showed a gross and severe lack of judgment and faulty training, and a general lack of concern for the well being of the person in his custody.
It doesn't matter that Floyd was high on fentanyl, or if he would have died anyway, because we don't know that, we don't know what would have happened.
At the start of the video, floyd looked to be ok, he was distraught for sure, and he was obviously concerned for his life. He said several times he didn't want to get shot. He was worried.
Floyd was not resisting, he was panicking. He said many times that he was claustrophobic and had anxiety. He was fearful of the enclosed space in the back of the car. Has the officers not tried to force him into the back of the car, he probably would have been fine just standing there or sitting on the curb. He was in cuffs and was only struggling because the officers were doing something that was creating more panic in him. I don't understand why it was necessary to put Floyd in the car. He would have been just fine outside the car, in cuffs.
I know officers hear excuses all the time, but you have to make a judgment call, and Floyd was pleading with them over and over, and again, they should have taken his claims of claustrophobia to heart and considered that maybe his struggling was a panic reaction and not resisting.
Once they got Floyd on the ground, for 4 minutes he was pleading that he couldn't breath. Again, the officers should have put 2 and 2 together and realized that Floyd was in a panic attack at this point and again, very fearful of being in a position where he couldn't breathe. Floyd was likely hyperventilating trying to catch his breath. Also, Floyd mentioned several times that he just got over covid.
One of the officers mentioned at least twice that they should roll him on his side. Chauvin declined.
After about 4 minutes of 2 men kneeling on Floyd, because there was 2. Chauvin on his neck and the other guy looked like he was kneeling in the small of floyds back. This is the point where they should have taken better care of the condition of Floyd. After 4 minutes, Floyd became unresponsive. He was pretty much limp, and for the next 5 minutes, the officers continued to kneel on Floyd's limp body. One officer mentions that he thought Floyd was passing out. The officers should have been paying more attention and once they realized that Floyd was no longer responsive, they should have gotten off of him and checked his pulse. Even bystanders were telling them they should check his pulse.
Again, I don't think it was their intent to kill him, but their response was not appropriate. Again, in my opinion, Chauvin does time.