George Floyd murder suspect Derek Chauvin has bail set at $1.25m

Media playback is unsupported on your device
Media captionThe history of police violence in the US

The Minneapolis ex-policeman accused of killing unarmed black man George Floyd has made his first court appearance, where his bail was set at $1.25m (£1m).

Prosecutors cited the "severity of the charges" and public outrage as the reason for upping his bail from $1m.

Derek Chauvin faces charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter. Three other arresting officers are charged with aiding and abetting murder.

Mr Floyd's death in May led to global protests and calls for police reform.

Mr Chauvin, who is white, knelt on Mr Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes while he was being arrested in Minneapolis on 25 May.

He and the three other police officers have since been fired.

Meanwhile, mourners in Houston, Texas, where Mr Floyd lived before moving to Minneapolis, have been viewing his body, publicly on display for six hours at The Fountain of Praise church.

Image copyright Getty Images

On Tuesday, a private funeral service will be held in Houston. Memorial services have already been held in Minneapolis and North Carolina, where Mr Floyd was born.

It is believed a family member escorted Mr Floyd's body on a flight to Texas late on Saturday.

Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden met privately with Mr Floyd's relatives in Houston to offer his sympathies on Monday.

"He listened, heard their pain, and shared in their woe," said Floyd family spokesman Benjamin Crump, who tweeted a photo of the meeting. "That compassion meant the world to this grieving family."

Aides to the former vice-president said he would also record a video message for Tuesday's service.

What happened at the bail hearing?

Mr Chauvin, a 19-year police veteran, did not enter a plea as he appeared via teleconference on Monday.

He did not speak during the 15-minute hearing, and was handcuffed and wearing an orange jumpsuit as he sat a small table.

Judge Jeannice M Reding set a bail of $1.25m with no preconditions, or $1m with conditions that include Mr Chauvin not contacting Mr Floyd's family, surrendering his firearms and not working in law enforcement or security as he awaits trial.

His lawyer did not object to the bail price.

Mr Chauvin, 44, is currently being held at the Minnesota state prison in Oak Park Heights, after being transferred several times.

His next court appearance is set for 29 June.

What are the accusations against Chauvin?

He faces three separate charges: unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, for which the maximum penalties are prison terms of 40, 25 and 10 years respectively.

Image copyright Reuters
Image caption Derek Chauvin is to appear in court by video link

Further charges could be brought but it appears unlikely he will be accused of first-degree murder as prosecutors would have to prove premeditation, intent and motive, the Associated Press reports.

By bringing multiple charges, prosecutors give jurors a choice and increase the chances of a conviction.

Minneapolis city council has voted to ban chokeholds and neck restraints by police officers, and Democrats in Congress have unveiled sweeping legislation on police reform.

In France, which saw Black Lives Matter protests over the weekend, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced that police would no longer be allowed to use chokeholds to arrest people.

France's police watchdog has revealed that there were 1,500 complaints against officers last year, half of them for alleged assaults.

How are people in Houston mourning Floyd?

Image copyright EPA
Image caption It is the turn of people in Houston to pay their respects

Masked and gloved mourners have been filing past Mr Floyd's coffin in line with coronavirus social distancing requirements, with only 15 guests allowed in the church at a time.

Image copyright AFP
Image caption Mr Floyd's body is on display at the Fountain of Praise church

Anti-racism protests started by Mr Floyd's death are now entering their third week in the US. Huge rallies have been held in several cities, including Washington DC, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

With the rallying cries "Black Lives matter" and "No Justice, No Peace", the demonstrations are among the largest US protests against racism since the 1960s. Saturday's gatherings included a protest in the Texas town of Vidor, once infamous as a stronghold of the Ku Klux Klan white supremacist group.

The majority of protests have been peaceful, however episodes of looting and violence have been reported. President Donald Trump has threatened to call up troops to quash any unrest.

Media playback is unsupported on your device
Media captionThe USA's history of racial inequality has paved the way for modern day police brutality

Security measures were lifted across the US on Sunday as unrest started to ease. New York ended its nearly week-long curfew, and Mr Trump said he was ordering the National Guard to start withdrawing from Washington DC.

More on George Floyd's death

Protesters in European cities including London and Rome also gathered to show their support for Black Lives Matter over the weekend, while anti-racism protests in Australia were attended by tens of thousands.

In the city of Bristol in the UK, protesters tore down a statue of Edward Colston, a prominent 17th Century slave trader.

US protests timeline

George Floyd dies after police arrest

Tributes to George Floyd at a makeshift memorial
Image caption Tributes to George Floyd at a makeshift memorial Image copyright by Getty Images

George Floyd dies after being arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Footage shows a white officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Mr Floyd’s neck for several minutes while he is pinned to the floor. Mr Floyd is heard repeatedly saying "I can’t breathe". He is pronounced dead later in hospital.

Protests begin

Demonstrators in Minneapolis
Image caption Demonstrators in Minneapolis Image copyright by AFP

Four officers involved in the arrest of George Floyd are fired. Protests begin as the video of the arrest is shared widely on social media. Hundreds of demonstrators take to the streets of Minneapolis and vandalise police cars and the police station with graffiti.

Protests spread

Protesters lie on the streets in Portland, Oregon
Image caption Protesters lie on the streets in Portland, Oregon Image copyright by Reuters

Protests spread to other cities including Memphis and Los Angeles. In some places, like Portland, Oregon, protesters lie in the road, chanting "I can’t breathe". Demonstrators again gather around the police station in Minneapolis where the officers involved in George Floyd’s arrest were based and set fire to it. The building is evacuated and police retreat.

Trump tweets

President Trump tweets about the unrest
Image caption President Trump tweets about the unrest Image copyright by Reuters

President Trump blames the violence on a lack of leadership in Minneapolis and threatens to send in the National Guard in a tweet.  He follows it up in a second tweet with a warning "when the looting starts, the shooting starts". The second tweet is hidden by Twitter for "glorifying violence".

CNN reporter arrested

Members of a CNN crew are arrested at a protest
Image caption Members of a CNN crew are arrested at a protest Image copyright by Reuters

A CNN reporter, Omar Jimenez, is arrested while covering the Minneapolis protest. Mr Jimenez was reporting live when police officers handcuffed him. A few minutes later several of his colleagues are also arrested. They are all later released once they are confirmed to be members of the media.

Derek Chauvin charged with murder

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin after being charged over the death of George Floyd
Image caption Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin after being charged over the death of George Floyd Image copyright by Getty Images

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, 44, is charged with murder and manslaughter. The charges carry a combined maximum 35-year sentence.

Sixth night of protests

Demonstrators set fire to rubbish in New York
Image caption Demonstrators set fire to rubbish in New York Image copyright by Reuters

Violence spreads across the US on the sixth night of protests. A total of at least five people are reported killed in protests from Indianapolis to Chicago. More than 75 cities have seen protests. At least 4,400 people have been arrested.  Curfews are imposed across the US to try to stem the unrest.

Trump threatens military response

Trump posing with a Bible outside a boarded-up church
Image caption Trump posing with a Bible outside a boarded-up church Image copyright by EPA

President Trump threatens to send in the military to quell growing civil unrest. He says if cities and states fail to control the protests and "defend their residents" he will deploy the army and "quickly solve the problem for them". Mr Trump poses in front of a damaged church shortly after police used tear gas to disperse peaceful protesters nearby.

Eighth night of protests

George Floyd’s family joined protesters in Houston
Image caption George Floyd’s family joined protesters in Houston Image copyright by Getty

Tens of thousands of protesters again take to the streets. One of the biggest protests is in George Floyd’s hometown of Houston, Texas. Many defy curfews in several cities, but the demonstrations are largely peaceful.

Memorial service for George Floyd

Mourners gather to remember George Floyd
Image caption Mourners gather to remember George Floyd Image copyright by Getty

A memorial service for George Floyd is held in Minneapolis.  Those gathered in tribute stand in silence for eight minutes, 46 seconds, the amount of time Mr Floyd is alleged to have been on the ground under arrest. Hundreds attended the service, which heard a eulogy from civil rights activist Rev Al Sharpton.