2 seated jurors in Derek Chauvin's trial dismissed

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Janelle Griffith
·2 min read
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A judge Wednesday dismissed two seated jurors in the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer who said a $27 million settlement the city had reached with George Floyd's family would skew their judgment.

A lawyer for the former officer, Derek Chauvin, had asked Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill to recall the seven jurors — of the nine seated — who had been selected before the city of Minneapolis announced the record settlement Friday.

The judge recalled the jurors Wednesday morning via Zoom and inquired about whether they had any knowledge of a civil lawsuit between the city and Floyd's family.

Juror No. 36, the Hispanic man in his 20s, said the settlement will affect him "a lot."

"So, last time I was asked about my strong opinions against Chauvin," he told Cahill. "Clearly the city of Minneapolis has some strong opinions, as well. And this just kind of confirms my opinion that I already had."

The judge told the juror it was a separate case and wouldn't be among the evidence in Chauvin's trial.

The juror said it would be hard to be impartial and was excused for what Cahill described as "an unfortunate broadcast of certain details." He told the juror he appreciated his honesty.

The other juror who was dismissed, a white man in his 30s, told Cahill "that dollar amount was shocking to me. That kind of sent the message that the city of Minneapolis felt that something was wrong and they wanted to make it right to the tune of that dollar amount."

"I think in the headline if it would have said $2,000 versus $20 million, that's a big change," the juror said. "So I think that sticker price obviously shocked me and swayed me a little bit, yes."

Seven jurors remain. Chauvin, who was recorded on bystander video kneeling on Floyd's neck for about nine minutes, is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. The video brought worldwide attention to Floyd's death and prompted global racial justice protests.

The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved the settlement Friday. Floyd's family filed a federal lawsuit in July against the city and the four officers involved in the arrest that led to his death. The three other officers, who were also fired the day after Floyd's death, are scheduled to stand trial in August. They are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter.

The settlement is the largest in the city's history.

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