The trial of Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer charged in the death of George Floyd, is forging ahead on Tuesday with jury selection, even though a looming appellate ruling could halt the case and delay it for weeks or even months as the state tries to add a third-degree murder count.
Prosecutors are asking the Court of Appeals to put Chauvin’s trial on hold until the issue of adding the third-degree murder count is resolved. The appeals court did not immediately rule on that request, and Judge Peter Cahill said Monday that he intends to keep the trial on track until he’s told to stop.
“Unless the Court of Appeals tells me otherwise, we’re going to keep moving,” he said.
How to watch jury selection in Chauvin’s trial
- What: Jury selection begins in the trial of Derek Chauvin, charged in George Floyd’s death
- Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2021
- Time: 10 a.m. ET; 9 a.m. local time
- Location: Hennepin County Government Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Online stream: Live on CBSN Minnesota in the player above and on your mobile or streaming device
Jury selection began on Tuesday morning at the Hennepin County Courthouse in downtown Minneapolis, a day later than scheduled. Cahill told the first group of potential jurors they shouldn’t talk to anyone involved in the case, and should refrain from searching for information about it online or posting about it on social media. He explained the concept of “reasonable doubt,” the legal standard prosecutors must meet to prove their case against Chauvin, who sat in the courtroom wearing a gray suit. Cahill also instructed potential jurors to keep their masks on and use social distancing practices.
Floyd‘s May 2020 killing drew outrage and a worldwide reckoning on police reform and racial justice. Chauvin, the police officer who was seen in a disturbing video kneeling on the neck of the unarmed Black man for more than nine minutes, is charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The other three officers involved in the fatal May 2020 arrest will be tried jointly in August.
Cahill and defense attorney Eric Nelson questioned the first potential juror about what media coverage she had seen about the case. The juror, a mother of three, said she had seen the video, but said she would be willing to review all evidence. The lawyers are aiming to find jurors who say they can form an impartial opinion despite the massive amount of pre-trial publicity the case has received.
When asked about her initial opinion of the video, the potential juror described her reaction to seeing Chauvin restraining Floyd: “That’s not fair, because we are humans, you know?”
The potential juror was later excused from jury service.
The second potential juror questioned, a White man who works as a chemist, was selected for the jury after questioning and instructed to report back for opening statements. The man said he had limited interactions with police, but did not have a personal negative viewpoint of the Minneapolis police department. He said he did believe the criminal justice system as a whole was biased against people of color.
The man said he had not seen the video of Floyd’s death, but had seen a still image of Chauvin restraining Floyd. He said he has visited the intersection where Floyd was killed with his fiancee.
“It happened in my city, it was a transformative event for that area, and me and my fiancee are thinking about moving near that area, so we wanted to visit,” he said.
Jury selection is scheduled to last three weeks, and barring any delay, opening statements are set for March 29. Trial proceedings will span another two to four weeks, after which the jury will launch into deliberations for an indeterminate amount of time. The process is expected to be complete by mid- to late-April. If Chauvin is convicted, a sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date. Chauvin, who has pleaded not guilty, will have the right to appeal.
Note: Streaming plans are subject to change
