Derek Chauvin trial: When it begins, how to watch and all you need to know about George Floyd murder case
The trial of Derek Chauvin, will commence this March for his role in the death of George Floyd, an African-American man, on whose neck the former Minneapolis police officer, knelt on for roughly eight minutes. The city of Minneapolis has ramped up security measures in the wake of the trial, including setting up around courthouse and police stations fortified fencing, barbed wire, and concrete barricades.
Protests are underway as the trial commences shortly with jury selection for Chauvin's trial. On May 25, 2020, Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck while arresting him for allegedly using counterfeit bills. Despite Floyd complaining about being unable to breathe, Chauvin continued to kneel on his neck. After several minutes, Floyd lay motionless and an accompanying officer, J Alexander Kueng, found no pulse. Chauvin continued to kneel on Floyd's neck until medics told him to lift his knee
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Read on to know more details about the trial against Derek Chauvin and where you can watch it.
When will the trial start and how long will it last?
The trial begins on Monday, March 9 with jury selection in Hennepin County District Court in Minnesota. The opening arguments are scheduled for no earlier than March 29. The exact length of the trial depends on many factors, but the trial is expected to last between three weeks and two months.
What are the charges against Derek Chauvin?
Chauvin is facing charges of second-degree unintentional murder and second-degree manslaughter. The murder charge requires that the defendant “causes the death of a human being without intent to effect the death of any person, while intentionally inflicting or attempting to inflict bodily harm upon the victim.” The manslaughter charge requres that someone caused the death of another person through negligence.
According to MPR News, state sentencing guidelines recommend 12.5 years in prison on second-degree murder charge for someone with no criminal history. The recommended sentence for someone convicted of second-degree manslaughter is four years. The judge has discretion to sentence someone to more or less time.
Where to watch the trial?
According to The Denver Channel, Court TV is the only network with cameras in the courtroom. The network, which televised the OJ Simpson trial, will provide live, gavel-to-gavel coverage. The entire trial will be on live TV and will also be available online at CourtTV.com. The trial can also be watched on the Court TV app, which is available for Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android and Apple devices.
Court TV's coverage will include in-depth reporting and expert analysis from veteran legal journalists and will include virtual recreations and insights and discussions from attorneys, investigators, and forensic experts.
The trial will also be livestreamed through other media pools, including MPR News and Law & Crime, a network which just launched on Peacock.
Who are the key witnesses?
According to MPR News, Chauvin's legal defense team has submitted a list of more than 200 possible witnesses, while prosecutors have submitted a list of more than 300 witnesses. They include Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents who investigated Floyd’s killing, Minneapolis police officers, medical personnel and bystanders. Each side also has a list of expert witnesses that they may call, including forensics pathologists and experts on policing practices.
It is not yet clear whether Chauvin will testify at his own trial.
When will the trials for the other police officers be held?
Chauvin was accompanied by fellow police officers at the time of Floyd's death. These officers include J Alexander Kueng, Tou Thao, and Thomas Lane. Thao, Kueng and Lane are scheduled to go on trial at the end of August on the charges, of aiding and abetting, second-degree murder and manslaughter.