It has been almost 10 months since police officer Derek Chauvin placed his knee on top of George Floyd’s neck, eventually killing him despite his pleas of “I can’t breathe”. The Minneapolis police officer, nonetheless, was pleaded not guilty of second degree murder. Ever since, an appeal was pushed over a reinstatement of a third degree murder charge. Recently, the judge has stated he plans to move forward with the jury selection Tuesday unless an appeal court steps in.
According to legal experts of the incident, bystanders as well as autopsy reports will be play a heavy role in the trial. According to one expert Grace Hauck, “The question at the heart of the case is whether what people saw on the video was murder or a terrible tragedy”. Three weeks have been set aside to choose the jury. These jurors, according to Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill, are expected to report to the courtroom by 8:30 AM on Tuesday with jury selection beginning at 9 AM.
In the events leading up to the trial, more protests and demonstrations have been reported at the courthouse as well as a Vigil at George Floyd Square. Still, the trial has remained halted as the Supreme Court reviewed the murder charge. It should also be noted that Chauvin had appeared in Court prior to the trial.
Bridgett Floyd, George Floyd’s sister, will also be serving at the trial. She had given an address at the courthouse a few months back thanking the supporters and saying “I miss my brother, George. That police officer took a great man, a great father, a great brother, a great uncle…We will never get that back”. Floyd’s brother, Terrace, is also praying for Floyd’s justice. “It’s kind of surreal right now that we basically have to relive this whole situation over again”, he said. “I’m gonna get through this. I’m gonna get my family through this”.
With the COVID relief bill as well as other events in Congress, it is unknown how smoothly the trial will commence. However, Cahill assures us that “The trial will go on. Unless the Court of Appeals tells us otherwise, we are going to keep going.”
