Attorneys for the prosecution and defense presented closing arguments in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

• Chauvin is charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd last May. He has pleaded not guilty on all counts.

🗣️ The Arguments
Prosecutors centered their case around a bystander video of the incident, which showed Chauvin with his knee on Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds.

• They called 38 witnesses and played dozens of video clips over the course of 11 days, arguing that Floyd died from asphyxia - or, lack of oxygen - due to Chauvin’s actions.

The defense claimed the prosecution did not consider the “totality of the circumstances” as required by law, and failed to meet the burden of proof for conviction (i.e, “clear and convincing evidence” “beyond a reasonable doubt”).

• They called seven witnesses over the course of two days, arguing that Floyd died of a heart condition and the fentanyl and methamphetamine found in his system.

⏭️ What’s Next?
After closing arguments, the jurors were sequestered to begin deliberations (isolating them from any outside influence).

• The jurors will continue deliberating until they reach a unanimous verdict, or become deadlocked and can’t (resulting in a mistrial).

🏛️ Celebrity Governors?

• Matthew McConaughey has a 12-point lead over current Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in a hypothetical one-on-one matchup for the governorship, according to a poll from Dallas Morning News and UT Tyler. Last month, the actor reportedly told a Houston podcast a run for governor is a “true consideration.” (From the Left | From the Right)
• Caitlyn Jenner said she will “decide soon” whether to run in a recall election for California’s governorship after Axios previously reported she had reached out to political consultants. (From the Left | From the Right)

Gif: NASA

Image: Twitter

It may be “a small world after all” for most Disney fans, but the 2,761 miles between Disneyland and Disneyworld is quite the trek for any traveller.

• Now, imagine running it.

Meet Don Muchow, a 57-year-old diabetic who just became the first person to run solo from park to park.

Image: CNN

The long-distance-runner set out on his ambitious journey to bring awareness to Type 1 diabetes.

• “I went 32-years without exercising because I was afraid of dangerous low blood sugars.” Now Dan wants to show other Type 1 diabetics that “there are safe ways to be physically active, and it’s much better than avoiding it.”

Image: T1Determined

Dan made it to Walt Disney World on April 5th, 2021, after 88 days of running around 32 miles a day. Jogging into the park’s entrance, he received a triumphant welcome from cast members and guests alike.

• Dan and his wife - who followed him the whole way from California in a van - were brought right to the front of the line for It’s A Small World, the couple’s favorite ride.

Two days later, the runner made it to his final destination: the Atlantic Ocean.

Watch Dan achieve his goal… tissues suggested.

💲 Currency Events… the Bank of England and UK government are considering a new, state-backed digital currency - “Britcoin” - that would exist alongside cash and bank deposits in the U.K.

🧬 Software Update… researchers at The Ohio State University developed a software called MagicDNA that significantly reduces the amount of time it takes to design organic robots that complete a variety of tasks within the body, including drug delivery.

💻 Digital Footprint… a report released by price comparison service USwitch found that Reddit was responsible for the highest rate of carbon-emissions out of the 200 most popular websites in the UK, followed by Pinterest and Nintendo.com. (The cleanest website? Wikipedia.)

🌎 Cosmic Cleaning… as the Earth orbits the sun, it travels through clouds of extraterrestrial dust. Now, planetary scientists stationed in Antarctica determined that more than 5,700 tons of microscopic space pebbles reach the surface of the planet each year.

How long is a single term in the U.S. Senate?

A) 2 years
B) 4 years
C) 6 years
D) 8 years

(keep scrolling for the answer)

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C) 6 years

The Constitution requires the Senate be divided into three classes for purposes of elections. Senators are elected to six-year terms, which are staggered so that roughly one-third of the chamber is up for reelection every two years.