As the trial begins for a former police officer accused of killing George Floyd, here’s what you need to know about the case. USA TODAY
MINNEAPOLIS — Jury selection is set to begin Monday in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd last May.
Prosecutors contend Floyd, 46, was killed by Chauvin’s knee, compressed against Floyd’s neck for more than 9 minutes while he was handcuffed and pinned to the pavement.
Legal experts say bystander video of the incident, as well as two autopsy reports, will play central roles in the trial. The question at the heart of the case is whether what people saw on the video was murder or a terrible tragedy.
However, a Friday court ruling could postpone jury selection. A Minnesota appeals court ruled that a trial court judge should not have refused to reinstate a third-degree murder charge against Chauvin. It’s unclear what effect the ruling will have on that schedule, but the court asked Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill to reconsider the charge.
Here’s what to know:
- Jury selection is set to begin at 9 a.m. CT in Minneapolis, where 12 jurors and up to four alternates will be selected. It is expected to take up to three weeks, with opening arguments scheduled for March 29.
- Court TV will be broadcasting the court proceedings, but jurors will not be shown. Here’s how to watch.
- There have been a handful of peaceful protests leading up to the trial, with a demonstration planned Monday morning at the courthouse and a vigil Monday night at George Floyd Square. On Saturday, a man died in a shooting near the square.
The USA TODAY Network will be bringing you live coverage of the Derek Chauvin trial. Refresh this page updates. Follow our team of reporters on Twitter here. For news delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Daily Briefing newsletter.
Demonstration, vigil planned Monday
More than a dozen activist groups, including Black Lives Matter Minnesota and Communities United Against Police Brutality, plan a demonstration outside the courthouse Monday, starting at 8:30 a.m. CST, KARE 11 reported.
The George Floyd Global Memorial will hold a gathering with faith leaders at George Floyd Square at 8 a.m. CST, ending in a candlelight vigil at 6 p.m., some of which will be livestreamed, according to the group’s website. The square is at the intersection of East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue where Floyd died.
On Saturday, dozens of people gathered in front of the Minnesota governor’s mansion in St. Paul to demand accountability for police officers. Many of the roughly 150 people who demonstrated were family members of others who died during police encounters. Similar protests were being organized in cities around the country in advance of the trial of Derek Chauvin.
Minneapolis increases security
Last month, city officials began solidifying security plans and establishing a security perimeter around City Hall, nearby buildings and the courthouse where jury selection will begin Monday. Streets will be closed, businesses will be boarded up and National Guard troops and hundreds of law enforcement officers will be in place in anticipation of potential unrest during the trial, set to begin March 29.
Last year, following Floyd’s death, rioting and looting broke out across the city over three nights, and hundreds of buildings were damaged, including some that were set on fire. Protests quickly spread beyond Minneapolis to Saint Paul, then across the nation of world. The large majority of protests throughout the summer were peaceful.
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a police reform bill named after Floyd, which would ban chokeholds and neck restraints at a federal level, among other major reforms.
Contributing: Associated Press
