Derek Chauvin trial resumes today; judge still looking to seat that final juror

The judge in the Derek Chauvin murder trial said he is determined to finish jury selection Tuesday, seeking a 15th and final juror to wrap up this stage of the proceedings before the trial begins to reach a verdict in the death of George Floyd late last spring.

Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill has summoned 12 jury candidates to the courthouse in hopes that one of them will join the panel that will hear evidence starting Monday and continuing for up to four weeks.

Half of the day's prospective jurors were called into the courtroom as a group shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday to hear instructions and what the day holds for them.

The first potential juror questioned Tuesday before a global audience watching the livestream, a man from Minneapolis who works as a pipe fitter, expressed strong support for police officers and held disdain the mainstream news media and for the perpetrators who inflicted so much damage to the city during the civil unrest after Floyd's death.

"I don't think a policeman wakes up in the morning to have a tragedy happen during the day," he said, when asked about his impression of Chauvin after watching the widely viewed bystander video that has loomed large over jury selection.

He also said he doesn't believe police, for the most, part target minorities unfairly. "I just don't think they want to single out one race over another. … It's not the color of the person, it's actions."

Asked of his thoughts about Floyd, he said, "If I struggled for who knows how long, what would happen to me? Why is somebody resisting?"

Cahill excused the man, citing his bias in favor of police. The judge added that he was reversing a dismissal ruling on Monday and restoring a discretionary strike for the defense, which reluctantly used one of the last few it holds. The defense now has four strikes remaining, while the state has two.

The next jury candidate admitted being extremely nervous about being part of the selection process and was concerned about her family's safety should she be chosen and her identity ultimately be revealed. After two out-of-earshot discussions between the attorneys and Cahill, the judge dismissed her.

Heading into Tuesday, there are six people of color and eight white people among the 14 jurors selected. Nine of the jurors are women, and five are men. Chauvin is white. Floyd was Black.

The first 14 chosen were: A multi-race woman in her 20s, a multi-race woman in her 40s, two Black men in their 30s, a Black man in his 40s, a Black woman in her 60s, four white women in their 50s, a white woman in her 40s, a white man in his 30s, a white man in his 20s, and a white woman in her 20s.

Once the final juror is chosen, court is expected to recess until Monday, ending the two-plus weeks of the jury selection process.

Cahill wants 15 jurors seated, with the last to be chosen deemed a spare who will be dismissed before trial if not needed. The judge will keep 14 jurors, including two alternates. Before deliberations, the remaining alternates will be dismissed. Then 12 jurors will be sequestered while they deliberate whether to convict or acquit the fired Minneapolis police officer on any or all of the charges — second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter.

At the end of the day Monday, Cahill said it was "12 or bust" on Tuesday, referring to the number of jury candidates who were told to report to the courthouse for questioning.

"We're going to call in 12, and we're going to go through all 12," if necessary, the judge said. Lawyers were told to be prepared to work a longer day to seat the final juror.

The newest juror selected Monday among the eight quizzed was a white woman in her 20s. She is a newlywed and a social worker in Wright County whose clients are coping with mental health difficulties.

She said her profession had trained to her to be empathetic. "I'm always thinking about the person and where he came from," she said of her views on Chauvin and his actions the day Floyd died. "Was it his training?"

When the woman talked about hearing both sides at trial, defense lawyer Eric Nelson reminded her that Chauvin does not have to present evidence and the state has the burden of proving his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The juror responded, "Mr. Chauvin's side is his presumption of innocence. That is what I meant by that."

The other defendants in the case — J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao — are scheduled to be tried in August in the same proceedings on charges of aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482

Rochelle Olson • 612-673-1747