Derek Chauvin trial: Ramped-up security could've 'chilling effect' on jury, slammed as 'intimidation tactic'
The trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin is scheduled to begin with jury selections on March 8. Security measures are being ramped up around the courthouse and police stations with fortified fencing, barbed wire, and concrete barricades. However, the increased preparations for the trial could be seen as an "intimidation tactic", according to activists.
Chauvin is facing charges of second-degree unintentional murder and second-degree manslaughter after the death of George Floyd, an African-American man who died on May 25, 2020. Officers were called to a Minneapolis convenience store after clerks reported that someone was trying to use counterfeit $20 bills.
RELATED ARTICLES
Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for roughly nine minutes, even as Floyd said he could not breathe in his last moments. Floyd's death sparked protests across the country and the world about the treatment of Black people by police officers in the US. Three other officers are also charged in Floyd's killing, including Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, and J Alexander Kueng.
The jury selection for Chauvin's trial is scheduled to start on March 8 with Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill saying that he wants the opening statements to start no earlier than March 29. The case against Chauvin will be presented by prosecutors, and after each side presents its closing arguments, the jury will go into deliberations. The trial could last up till April.
However, as the city of Minneapolis prepares for the trial, many activists are calling out the intense preparations as an "aggressive police posture," according to ABC News. Local community activist, Kandace Montgomery told ABC News, "As the people of Minneapolis and Minnesota are calling for justice and healing, and care, state officials have been responding in some ways by basically preparing to go to war with folks. So, I do think it’s meant to be an intimidation tactic."
The preparations plan, called "Operation Safety Net" will be guided by two core principles during Chauvin's trial, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo. The two principles are prevention of crime and damage to property as well as ensuring First Amendment rights for those who want to peacefully assemble and demonstrate.
In addition to securing the perimeters of the courthouse and police stations, other security measures include deploying up to 2,000 National Guard troops, who will patrol the city till the time a verdict in the trial is reached. The National Guard troops will mostly be used to escort firefighters and ambulances on emergency calls. In addition, ABC News reports that the Hennepin County Sheriff Office will provide "intelligence gathering" by monitoring social media to track what organized groups are doing and to get information in hopes of "heading off violent acts in the works".
The enhanced security measures could also have an impact on the trial itself. Joseph H Low IV, a Los Angeles criminal defense and civil trial lawyer told the publication that ramping up security could have a "chilling effect" on the potential jury pool. Low said, "That can cause some fear and some uncertainty. This is not making them feel any calmer. So that will be something that a specialist who picks and selects juries will be aware of."
