Local law enforcement officer says defense has an uphill battle in Chauvin trial

LOS ANGELES - As the nation watches the Derek Chauvin trial in the death of George Floyd so is veteran law enforcement executive Jim Hellmold.

He is recently retired from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department where he was Chief of Special Operations and a former Assistant Sheriff. When the video capturing Chauvin's knee on Floyd's neck surfaced, Hellmold spoke out on his Facebook page calling it "unacceptable" and unnecessary violence.

Chauvin is charged with murder and manslaughter in the death of Floyd. He's accused of pinning the handcuffed Black man to the pavement with a knee to the neck for what prosecutors said was 9 minutes, 29 seconds, despite the pleas of bystanders.

Hellmold, who ran for LA County Sheriff in 2014, weighed in on Day 1 and Day 2 of the trial and what it means from and from a law enforcement perspective. 

He says based on the video, the bystander testimony, and use of force policy he says the defense has "an uphill battle."

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