Chauvin's murder conviction should be an easy one. But it won't be.

Chauvin (right) with his defense attorney, Eric Nelson. 

“Today starts a landmark trial that will be a referendum on how far America has come in its quest for equality and justice for all." -- Floyd family attorney, Ben Crump

 From Tamir Rice to Michael Brown to Eric Garner, a long series of non-indictments in high-profile killings of Black men and women make plain that prosecutions of police officers are rare, and convictions rarer still. -- Bloomberg Law 

Derek Chauvin's defense argument is that George Floyd actually died from previous health issues and from being under the influence, rather than from the 9-minute and 29-second intentional strangulation administered by Chauvin and fellow officers, in broad daylight, on video for all the world to see. Even when told by a paramedic that Floyd no longer had a pulse, the Chauvin kept his knee pressing down on Floyd's neck.

This should be the quickest and easiest murder prosecution/conviction in history. But it won't be. Why? Because, 1) while America occasionally may extend some justice to black victims of police brutality, convicting a white cop of murdering an unarmed Black man is as rare an occurrence as a Donald Trump truth-telling, and 2) it's not just Chauvin who is on trial in that Minneapolis courtroom, but the entire system of American racial (in)justice. 

If cold-blooded killer Chauvin can't be held accountable, who can?