George Floyd: Derek Chauvin, the charges he faces and everything you need to know about the police officer's murder trial
Thursday 1 April 2021 12:05, UK
The former police officer accused of killing George Floyd, whose death sparked months of worldwide protests against racial injustice, is on trial for his murder.
Derek Chauvin, 45, is charged with three offences over the death of George Floyd, who died after he was arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the US last May.
The then-police officer was filmed kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck for about nine minutes as he said: "I can't breathe."
Chauvin's trial in the same city began on 29 March. You can watch live continuous coverage of court proceedings on the Sky News website, app, YouTube and Sky Pop Up Channel on 524.
Here's everything you need to know about the trial:
The charges
Chauvin is accused of three offences.
The first charge is of second-degree unintentional murder, which means the person was killed without prior intent to kill while inflicting or attempting to inflict bodily harm on the victim.
The second charge is second-degree manslaughter, which is when a person knowingly or consciously takes a risk that results in the death of a person.
He is also facing a third-degree murder charge, which is killing someone without intent by carrying out an act dangerous to others due to "a depraved mind" and without regard for human life.
The final charge was dropped in October when a judge ruled it only applies when multiple people were endangered - but was reinstated as the jury was being chosen following an appeal by the prosecution.
Timeline
Jury selection started on 8 March and took more than two weeks.
Opening statements at Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis started on 29 March, when lawyers from both sides provided a roadmap of their cases and told jurors what they could expect to see at the trial, including key witnesses.
The full video of Chauvin's knee on Mr Floyd's neck was played shortly after the prosecutors' opening statements.
Chauvin's defence lawyer, Eric Nelson, used his opening statement to describe Mr Floyd's drug use, his underlying health problems and a chaotic scene during the arrest .
That came after police were called when Mr Floyd paid for a packet of cigarettes with a fake $20 bill.
Mr Nelson argued that the main cause of death was a drug overdose.
The trial is predicted to take two to four weeks.
Jurors will then deliberate for however long it takes to come to a verdict, with the trial expected to finish by mid to late-April.
The jury
The death of Mr Floyd sparked outrage across the world and the video of Chauvin kneeling on his neck was viewed hundreds of millions of times - making jury selection difficult.
A total of 95 potential jurors were dismissed before a panel of 12 were chosen. They will have to decide which crime Chauvin is guilty of, if any.
Fifteen jurors appeared in court when the case started, but Judge Peter Cahill said the 15th was chosen to ensure 14 would be in place once the trial begins. He dismissed that person immediately.
Two of the jurors are alternates, in case any of the 12 fall ill during the trial.
There are nine women and five men on the panel, with eight identifying as white, four as black and two as mixed race. They are in their 20s up to their 60s.
The jurors are: two white men, one in his 20s and the other in his 30s; six white women, four in their 50s, one in her 40s, one in her 20s; two mixed-race women, one in her 20s, one in her 40s; three black men, two in their 30s, one in his 40s; and one black woman in her 60s.
Lawyers gave considerable attention to the jury pool's attitudes towards police, with some potential jurors ruling themselves out as their opinions either way were too strong.
Almost all of the jurors selected said they had seen at least parts of the video showing Mr Floyd being arrested, with several acknowledging it gave them at least a somewhat negative view of Chauvin, but that they could set that aside.
They all had to fill out a questionnaire stating if they strongly agreed or disagreed, or had no strong views on issues such as "defunding" the police, Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, as well as their own contacts with police and their familiarity with the case.
Jurors will remain anonymous.
Judge and lawyers
Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill is presiding over the trial.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's office is in charge of the prosecution against Chauvin.
Chauvin's defence lawyer is Eric Nelson.
Jail time and proof
Second-degree murder carries a sentence of up to 40 years in prison.
Prosecutors will have to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Chauvin caused Mr Floyd's death while committing or attempting to commit a related felony - third-degree assault here.
They will not have to prove he intended to cause Mr Floyd's death.
Anyone found guilty of second-degree manslaughter can face a jail sentence of up to 10 years.
Prosecutors will have to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Chauvin caused Mr Floyd's death by "culpable negligence" - that he created unreasonable risk and consciously chose to cause death or serious harm.
Police are authorised to use force so prosecutors will have to prove the force he used was unlawful.
Third-degree murder can mean up to 25 years in prison. To secure a conviction, prosecutors must prove Chauvin's actions caused Mr Floyd's death, and were reckless and without regard for human life.
Security concerns
Following a series of protests after Mr Floyd's killing last year, police have been planning safety precautions around Hennepin County Courthouse and Minneapolis for months.
They are expecting further demonstrations, such as those outside the court during jury selection.
The courthouse in downtown Minneapolis has been fortified with concrete barriers, fencing and barbed wire in an effort to prevent a repeat of the damaging riots that followed Mr Floyd's death.
The National Guard has been mobilised to assist local police over fears of large violent civil disturbances, property damage, assault and looting.
At least $1m (£715,460) is being spent by city authorities on fences and barricades across the city, including around its five police stations, City Hall and the Public Service Building, which face the courthouse, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.
COVID-19
As the trial is taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic, a limited number of people are allowed in the courtroom.
Proceedings are being televised, which is unusual for Minnesota.
Each day there is a broadcast technician, the judge, eight lawyers (four from each side), jurors and alternate jurors, two media members, one member of Chauvin's family, and one of Mr Floyd's family members.
Are any others facing charges?
Three other officers, since fired, have been charged for their alleged part in Mr Floyd's death - J. Alexander Keung, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao.
They are set to go on trial on 23 August on aiding and abetting charges.