Judge Peter Cahill granted a motion preventing the death of convicted felon George Floyd from being likened to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ during the Derek Chauvin murder trial striking a major blow to Black Lives Matter activists who had hoped to paint Floyd as a martyred holy figure.
The judge was presented with the following motion on Monday:
“The Defendant moves the Court for an Order precluding any expert from likening the death of George Floyd to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the ground that such analogy is prejudicial.”
Judge Cahill agree with the motion and it was passed without incident. The defense team cited previous instances of Floyd being compared to Jesus Christ by eyewitnesses, which were quickly recognized by the judge as inaccurate and prejudicial.
The move was met with outrage by Black Lives Matter activists, who had hoped to paint Floyd as a messianic figure.
Weird motion: Judge rules that witnesses are forbidden from "likening the death of George Floyd to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the ground."
One of the state's witnesses had brought it up so Chauvin's attorney filed a motion to prevent it from being mentioned in court
— Tasneem N (@TasneemN) March 8, 2021
Court grants motion on precluding any expert from “likening the death of #GeorgeFloyd to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.”
Judge Cahill first said “I have to ask, how did this even become a motion?”
Apparently a state witness has said it before, in the context of asphyxiation.
— Julia Jenaé (@JuliaCourtTV) March 8, 2021
Now — one of the most "interesting" motions — one of the state's witnesses apparently mentioned something about George Floyd's death likened to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which prompted Nelson to file the motion. pic.twitter.com/BGUNggvRRF
— Lou Raguse (@LouRaguse) March 8, 2021
“Tell your witness that analogy will not even come close to being admitted,” Judge Cahill said.
The posthumous messianic treatment of Floyd started almost immediately after his death. In July 20, a mobile memorial hologram using state-of-the-art technology was commissioned to tour the city, replacing American monuments and statues:
Residents of Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and other southern states will soon see their nighttime skylines replaced by an enormous rotating hologram of George Floyd’s face, projected above the vandalized sites of former Confederate statues and monuments.
The project, funded by the George Floyd Foundation and Change.org, will start by replacing a Confederate statue in Richmond, Virginia.
According to NBC12, “George Floyd’s family members will join together with local black artists, musicians, poets and leaders for the first public unveiling of the hologram” at 7:30 p.m. Live music and entertainment from Soul Taco, Free Egunfemi Bangura, Yemima Davis, and other black leaders will accompany the memorial’s unveiling.
The memorial itself will consist of a series of pulsing yellow lights intended to mimic fireflies that will coalesce over time, and link together to assemble the glowing holographic face of George Floyd. Floyd’s visage, accompanied by the letters of his name in garish bold text reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, will then float over the selected monument sites for several hours.
The courthouse where the George Floyd murder trial will take place has has been barricaded with metal fencing and razor wire in anticipation of riots, and thousands of National Guard troops and riot police are expected to be deployed during the trial.