Derek Chauvin’s ‘heart was too small,’ prosecutor says in last word to jury

The last line jurors heard before starting deliberations in Derek Chauvin’s murder trial Monday was one of the most memorable of the high-profile proceeding.

Special prosecutor Jerry Blackwell said he “saved” it till the end because he considered it “the biggest shading of the truth” by Chauvin’s defense.

“You were told, for example, that Mr. Floyd died because his heart was too big. You heard that testimony,” Blackwell said. “Now having seen all the evidence, having heard all the evidence, you know the truth. And the truth of the matter is – that the reason George Floyd is dead is because Mr. Chauvin’s heart was too small.”

With that, Blackwell ended the prosecution’s rebuttal to the defense’s closing argument, and the case was handed to the 12-member jury for deliberations.

After jurors left the courtroom, Chauvin’s defense lawyer Eric Nelson cited Blackwell’s use of the word “shading” and other comments to say he considered the rebuttal “prosecutorial misconduct” and grounds for mistrial.

Judge Peter Cahill said he sustained an objection to “shading” during the rebuttal and would not make a finding on a verbal mistrial motion. “I think it was adequately addressed,” he said.

The jury in the high-profile case is made up of three Black men, one Black woman, two white men, four white women and two women identified as “multiracial.”