Jury selection was delayed on Monday in the high-profile trial of the white police officer accused of killing George Floyd, a black man whose death was captured on video and sparked mass protests against racial injustice in the US and around the world.
Prosecutors had asked for it to be paused until an appeals court can rule on whether the judge should reinstate a third-degree murder charge against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
"The court will be seating jurors for a trial about which we don't know what the exact charges are going to be yet," said Matthew Frank, the lead prosecutor.
Chauvin, 44, is currently facing charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter in connection with Floyd's May 25, 2020 death. Second-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison while the lesser charge of third-degree murder carries 25 years.
The visibly impatient judge said he believed selection of the 12 jurors and four alternates should go ahead but he agreed to hold off while the appeal is pending. He later said jury selection would begin at 9:00 am Central Time (1500 GMT) on Tuesday. "Unless the court of appeals tells me otherwise we're going to keep moving," the judge said.
People gather in a Manhattan park to protest on the first day of the trial for the killing of George Floyd last May on March 08, in New York City. Photo: VCG
As hundreds of protesters gathered near a heavily guarded Minneapolis courthouse, Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill ordered jury selection put off until at least Tuesday.Prosecutors had asked for it to be paused until an appeals court can rule on whether the judge should reinstate a third-degree murder charge against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
"The court will be seating jurors for a trial about which we don't know what the exact charges are going to be yet," said Matthew Frank, the lead prosecutor.
Chauvin, 44, is currently facing charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter in connection with Floyd's May 25, 2020 death. Second-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison while the lesser charge of third-degree murder carries 25 years.
The visibly impatient judge said he believed selection of the 12 jurors and four alternates should go ahead but he agreed to hold off while the appeal is pending. He later said jury selection would begin at 9:00 am Central Time (1500 GMT) on Tuesday. "Unless the court of appeals tells me otherwise we're going to keep moving," the judge said.
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