WorlPosted at: Mar 29 2021 6:58AM Ex-Officer Derek Chauvin's trial in George Floyd death begins on Monday
Washington, Mar 29 (Sputnik) The trial for Derek Chauvin, the former US police officer charged with George Floyd’s murder, is set to start in Minneapolis on Monday, almost a year after the African American man’s death stirred a huge protest wave and heated debates about racial justice, police systems and historical past in America and beyond.
Floyd, 46, died on May 25 after Chauvin and three other officers arrested him outside a Minneapolis shop, where he was being accused of using a counterfeit $20 bill. A viral video from the scene showed white police officer Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes, despite the latter’s pleas that he could not breathe, until the man became unresponsive. Floyd died in hospital the same day.
All the four officers involved in the detention were fired and later arrested. Chauvin, 45, has since been charged with 2nd-degree murder, 2nd-degree manslaughter and 3rd-degree murder, which threaten to put him behind bars for decades. He pleaded not guilty.
The other three officers are facing charges of aiding and abetting their former colleague. They will be tried later.
As for Chauvin’s trial, in an unprecedented order for the state of Minnesota, a judge allowed cameras to film it in its entity to accommodate huge public interest amid COVID-19 restrictions.
The ex-police officer, who was involved in three shootings in the past and reportedly used to work for some time as a part-time security guard together with Floyd at the same local club, will be tried by a 15-strong jury. Six of jurors are Black or multiracial.
The trial comes days after the city of Minneapolis agreed to pay $27 million to Floyd's family to settle legal proceedings over his death in police custody.
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