Derek Chauvin trial: Cop who 'killed George Floyd' in court as jury selection starts and Minneapolis protest rages

GEORGE Floyd protesters have taken to the streets of Minneapolis as the jury selection for cop Derek Chauvin's trial starts today.

As Chauvin was sat in the court house, protesters holding signs were turning up outside of the Hennepin County Government Center.

One person was seen holding a mirror with red writing on that branded "Derek Chauvin you are a murderer."

Layers of fending were erected outside of the courthouse prior to the trial, with a sign attached to it telling protesters 'you are welcome here' while nothing it is a 'restricted' area.

Protestors also held tributes to George Floyd, who died in May last year after Chauvin held his knee to his neck for nearly nine minutes, pressing his face into the ground and asphyxiating him.

The horrifying video of the incident went viral on social media.

In the footage, Floyd can repeatedly be heard saying, "I can't breathe" – a slogan adopted by the Black Lives Matter movement.

Jury selection will follow atypical guidelines due to Covid-19 protocols as well as the highly-sensitive nature of the case.

Opening statements could be delayed, however, after a Court of Appeals ruling that said Hennepin District Judge Peter Cahill made an error in dismissing an additional third-degree murder charge against Chauvin.

Chauvin's attorney, Eric Nelson, said on Monday that he is going to ask the state Supreme Court to review the decision regarding third-degree murder.

Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter.

Picking a jury is expected to take at least three weeks, as prosecutors and defense attorneys try to weed out people who may be biased against them.

“You don’t want jurors who are completely blank slates, because that would mean they’re not in tune at all with the world,” Susan Gaertner, a former prosecutor, said.

“But what you want is jurors who can set aside opinions that have formed prior to walking into the courtroom and give both sides a fair hearing.”

Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, argued that pretrial publicity of the case and the subsequent violent unrest in Minneapolis would make it impossible to find an impartial jury in Hennepin County.

But Judge Peter Cahill said last year that moving the trial probably wouldn't cure the problem of a potentially tainted jury pool because “no corner of the State of Minnesota” has been shielded from pretrial publicity.

The potential jurors — who must be at least 18, U.S. citizens and residents of Hennepin County — were sent questionnaires to determine how much they have heard about the case and whether they’ve formed any opinions.

Besides biographical and demographic information, jurors were asked about prior contacts with police, whether they have protested against police brutality and whether they believe the justice system is fair.

Some of the questions get specific, such as how often a potential juror has watched the bystander video of Floyd’s arrest, or whether they carried a sign at a protest and what that sign said.

Mike Brandt, a local defense attorney, said prosecutors will likely seek out jurors who have favorable opinions on the Black Lives Matter movement or might have more outrage over Floyd’s death, while Chauvin’s attorneys would likely favor jurors who support the police.

Unlike typical jury selection proceedings, this jury pool will be questioned one by one instead of in a group.

The judge, defense attorney and prosecutors will all get to ask questions.

The defense can object to up to 15 potential jurors without giving a reason; prosecutors can block up to nine with no reason given.

The other side can object to these so-called peremptory challenges if they believe the sole reason for disqualifying a juror is race or gender.

Both sides can also argue to dismiss an unlimited number of jurors “for cause,” meaning they must provide a reason why they believe that juror shouldn’t serve.

Those situations can get into some detailed machinations, Brandt said, and it’s up to the judge to decide whether a juror stays or goes.

“Sometimes there is some tortured questioning,” Brandt said.

He said that even if a juror says they have had a negative interaction with the police, or a negative opinion about Black Lives Matter, the key will be trying to find out whether they can put those past experiences or opinions aside and be fair.

“We all walk into these with biases. The question is, can you put those biases aside and be fair in this case,” he said.

Jury selection will end after 14 people are picked – 12 jurors who will deliberate the case and two alternates who won’t be part of deliberations unless needed.

The jurors will be escorted to the courthouse daily and sequestered during deliberations. Their names will be kept confidential until further order of the court.

The number of seats in the courtroom has been limited to maintain social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and seats for jurors have been spaced out.

Like others in the courtroom, jurors will be required to wear masks.

Cahill ruled that that only one member of George Floyd's family at a time will be allowed to attend the trial of Chauvin trial.

The same rule will apply to Chauvin's family, and those in attendance will also be require to practice social distancing and wear masks.

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