Tuesday, March 9th, 2021
Trial of George Floyd's death
Selecting the jury will be difficult
Twelve jurors will determine the guilt or innocence of ex-cop Derek Chauvin. The search for innocent candidates has now started, but presents itself as a challenge. After all, pictures and videos of the violent killing of George Floyd are known worldwide.
In the trial of the white ex-police officer Derek Chauvin for killing the unarmed African American George Floyd, the selection of the jury has now begun. The court in the city of Minneapolis in the US state of Minnesota selects up to twelve jurors and four substitute candidates. The selection could take until the end of the month. The main proceedings are not due to begin until March 29.
Chauvin is charged, among other things, with second degree murder, which is up to 40 years in prison. The jury has a prominent role in US law: you alone decide whether you are guilty or innocent. Candidates for the jury may be interviewed under oath to ensure that they are not biased. In a case as well-known and well-known in the media as the killing of Floyd, that should be more of a challenge. The defense and public prosecutor's office may each reject a certain number of proposed jurors.
The jurors remain anonymous in the trial against Chauvin for security reasons until further notice. The selection of the jury should have started on Monday, the first day of the trial, but was postponed due to various motions. The first candidate was promptly rejected by the defense. The hospital-employed mother of three spoke with a foreign accent and described the Floyd killing as "unfair". In doing so, she indicated that she may not be impartial. The defense also raised concerns that their English language skills might be insufficient.
Chemist accepted on the jury
The second candidate, a chemist, said he did not see the video of the police operation against Floyd but did visit the crime scene. "It happened in my city and it was a huge event." The man said he believed that the US criminal justice system generally discriminates against minority people. However, he stressed that as a scientist, he was used to making decisions based on the facts. He was accepted as a juror for the trial. The third candidate admitted that she wasn't sure she could be impartial in this case. The judge therefore rejected it.
The 46-year-old Floyd was killed in a brutal arrest in Minneapolis on May 25 last year. The police pushed him to the ground in the street, Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for about eight minutes while Floyd pleaded for him to breathe. According to the autopsy, Floyd passed out and died. Videos of the incident spread like wildfire and sparked weeks of mass protests in the United States. The expectations of the process are therefore high. Many people hope for a verdict that will set an example against racism and police violence.
Chauvin pleads not guilty
Chauvin, who was released after the incident and later bailed, is charged with second degree murder without intent. Up to 40 years imprisonment is on it. According to German law, this charge would be more like manslaughter. Chauvin also has to answer for second degree manslaughter, which could be punished with an additional ten years in prison. The prosecution wants to charge him with third degree murder, which is another 25 years. The admission of the charge is still pending.
Chauvin pleaded not guilty. His defense lawyers argue that the use was justified because Floyd resisted. They also argue that Floyd's death was not due to violence, but mainly to his pre-existing health and drug residues in his blood. The police arrested Floyd on suspicion of paying with a fake $ 20 bill. The other three ex-police officers involved in the operation are charged with complicity in murder and manslaughter of the second degree. You are free on bail and will have to appear in court from August 23rd. If convicted, they face long prison sentences.
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