(Court TV, Pool via AP)Potential jurors in the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer accused in George Floyd's death have been asked many predictable questions. They ask how they felt when they saw the video showing Derek Chauvin with his knee on Floyd’s neck. Few cases in recent history have received as much attention as Floyd’s death. The experts agreed that Chauvin’s attorneys are trying to identify potential jurors who will be open to making a decision based on the evidence, not any preconceived beliefs. Some potential jurors have worried aloud about what could happen to them or their families if Chauvin is acquitted.
Derek Chauvin is already facing a second-degree unintentional murder charge and a manslaughter charge. Floyd's death sparked months of mass protests nationwide over police brutality and race. For those seeking justice in Floyd's death, anything less than murder is likely to feel like injustice. Chauvin's lawyer sought to dismiss the charge, arguing there was not probable cause to charge him with third-degree murder. The second-degree murder charge requires prosecutors to prove Chauvin caused Floyd’s death while committing or trying to commit a felony — in this case, third-degree assault.
(Court TV/Pool via AP)MINNEAPOLIS – Jury selection for a former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd’s death was halted before it began Monday by the state's effort to add a third-degree murder charge. AdThere was no indication when that court will rule, but a hold could delay Chauvin’s trial for weeks. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death. For third-degree murder, they must prove that Chauvin's actions caused Floyd's death, and that his actions were reckless and without regard for human life. Floyd’s death sparked sometimes violent protests in Minneapolis and beyond, and led to a nationwide reckoning on race.
Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter and jury selection in his trial begins Monday, March 8, 2021. Jury selection begins Monday in Derek Chauvin's trial, which is expected to come down to two key questions: Did Chauvin's actions cause Floyd's death, and were his actions reasonable? Floyd’s death sparked sometimes violent protests in Minneapolis and beyond, and led to a nationwide reckoning on race. The second-degree murder charge requires prosecutors to prove Chauvin caused Floyd's death while committing or trying to commit a felony — in this case, third-degree assault. Instead, they must prove his actions caused Floyd's death, and that they were reckless and without regard for human life.
Jury selection begins Monday, March 8, 2021, for Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder and manslaughter in George Floyd's death. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)MINNEAPOLIS – Jury selection begins Monday for a former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder and manslaughter in George Floyd's death. City, county and state officials are preparing for any sort of reaction that trial testimony or a verdict might elicit. AdTHE JUDGEHennepin County Judge Peter Cahill is respected and has a reputation as a no-nonsense, fair judge. AdPROSECUTIONDays after Floyd's death, Minnesota's governor announced that Attorney General Keith Ellison would take the lead on prosecuting the case.
Doing so is giving Ellison a national platform to talk about race in America. Ellison, the first African American elected to his job, is now tasked with nothing less than making that system work. “What we need is accountability from a top lawyer like Keith Ellison to put these cops in jail. If Ellison’s national reputation was as a progressive purist, his work as attorney general has been more tempered. The Floyd case could bring some tensions with progressives who have long viewed Ellison as an uncompromising ally.
