The process surrounding the killing of the African American George Floyd by a white ex-police officer turns out to be extremely difficult.
At the same time, the expectations and hopes associated with the process are very high.
Update from March 11th, 4:54 pm:
In the trial of the death of George Floyd, further charges against the ex-police officer Derek Chauvin were admitted.
The charge is third-degree murder.
The judge at the trial, Peter Cahill, had originally rejected an application by the prosecutor, in which the ex-police officer should also be charged with third-degree murder.
This can be punished with 25 years imprisonment.
However, after the decision of an appeals court on Friday and the Supreme Court of the state of Minnesota, the judge granted the prosecutor's request on Thursday, reports the
German Press Agency
.
George Floyd Death Trial: Difficult Jury Selection
First report from March 10, 20201:
Minneapolis / Minnesota - The trial of the white ex-police officer Derek Chauvin for the killing of the unarmed African American George Floyd opened on Monday (March 8th) under massive security measures.
Jury selection began on Tuesday, March 9th, with a one-day delay.
The court in the city of Minneapolis is looking for a total of up to twelve jurors and four substitute candidates - so far, however, only three have been accepted.
The substantive negotiations against Derek Chauvin are not due to begin until March 29th.
The process is broadcast live.
The search for jurors who play a prominent role in US law is very difficult in the process of killing the 46-year-old African American and is expected to drag on until the end of the month.
The jury alone will decide whether the accused is guilty or innocent.
In order to be able to make this decision, they must be considered impartial.
Therefore, the candidates may be questioned under oath to ensure that they have not already formed an opinion on the case.
George Floyd Trial: Hardly any juror has been admitted
Since the killing of George Floyd was extensively reported in the media and this case sparked an unprecedented wave of protests, the search for an impartial jury is very difficult.
Both the defense and the public prosecutor may reject a certain number of proposed jurors.
These remain anonymous in the trial against ex-police officer Chauvin for security reasons.
Judge Peter Cahill began briefing and questioning potential jurors in the presence of the defendant on Tuesday.
The first candidate, a mother of three working in a hospital, was already assessed as biased and rejected.
The second candidate, a chemist, was able to convincingly demonstrate that he would make his decision on the basis of the facts and was therefore accepted as a jury member for the trial.
Violent death of George Floyd: Police officer pressed his knee to the neck of the 46-year-old for nine minutes
The third candidate was not sure whether she could judge the process impartially and was therefore rejected as a jury member by the judge.
In the course of the previous hour-long questioning of a total of nine people, only three - two men and one woman - were able to meet the requirements and were accepted as jurors.
George Floyd, 46, was killed in an arrest by ex-police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis.
Several police officers arrested the 46-year-old on suspicion of paying with a fake $ 20 bill.
Chauvin had put Floyd's knee back on the street for about nine minutes, even though the deceased said more than twenty times that he could not breathe.
The 46-year-old lost consciousness and died in the course of this process.
Chauvin was released after the incident and was released on bail after being charged.
George Floyd: Two charges against ex-cop Derek Chauvin - murder and manslaughter
He is accused of second degree murder without intent, resulting in up to 40 years in prison.
In addition, he must answer for second degree manslaughter, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The public prosecutor also wants to charge him with third-degree murder, which is punishable by up to 25 years in prison.
However, this charge has not yet been admitted.
Should this happen, the accused can be convicted of second-degree murder or third-degree murder if he is acquitted.
The other three ex-police officers involved in the operation are charged with complicity in murder and manslaughter of the second degree.
They are also released on bail and will have to testify in court from August 23rd.
The accused ex-police officer has so far pleaded not guilty.
The defense argues that the operation was justified as Floyd resisted.
Floyd's death was also not due to the violence caused by Chauvin, but mainly to his previous illnesses and drug residues in his blood.
Black Lives Matter: Video of George Floyd's death sparked mass protests around the world
Floyd's violent death was captured on a cell phone video, which spread rapidly around the world and led to weeks of mass protests in the United States, which also led to riots.
Floyd's statement "I can't breathe" recorded on the video became a motto of the Black Lives Matter movement, which denounces racism and police violence against black people around the world.
The case is therefore considered to be particularly powerful.
Many people expect a verdict that will take a stand against racism and police violence.
Officials in the United States are seldom indicted and even less convicted of racist police violence.
On Monday, the victim's cousin, Shareeduh Tate, spoke in court on behalf of the victim's entire family.
As reported by the US news broadcaster CNN, only one family member of the victim and the accused may appear in court.
"We're glad the trial has started," said the victim's 50-year-old cousin.
She is convinced that the death of her cousin has triggered something in the US and beyond: "The reaction, the resulting movement, makes me optimistic that the outcome of the trial will be different." She trusts the prosecutors and is pretty sure that they will get "a fair and impartial jury".
(afp / dpa / CNN / Astrid Theil)
