March 29, 2021 – 3:22 am Clock
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Minneapolis (AP) – Almost a year after the killing of the African American George Floyd in a police operation in the USA, the main proceedings against the white ex-police officer Derek Chauvin begin.
He is charged, among other things, with second degree murder, which has resulted in up to 40 years in prison in the state of Minnesota. The hearing begins on Monday (from 4:00 p.m. CET) under heavy security in the city of Minneapolis. The court finalized the jury selection last week. Judge Peter Cahill believes the main trial could take up to a month.
The 46-year-old Floyd was killed in a brutal arrest in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. Videos have documented cops pushing the unarmed Floyd to the ground. Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s throat for a good eight minutes while Floyd pleaded to let him breathe. According to the autopsy, Floyd passed out and died. The officers arrested Floyd on suspicion of paying with a fake $ 20 bill.
Chauvin, who was released after the incident, faces an unintentional charge of second-degree murder. According to German law, this charge would be more like manslaughter. In addition, Chauvin is accused of third degree murder, which can result in up to 25 years in prison. He also has to answer for second degree manslaughter, which is followed by ten years in prison. The ex-cop is currently on bail and must be present during the trial.
Chauvin pleaded not guilty. His defense lawyers state that the operation against Floyd was justified because he resisted. They also argue that Floyd’s death was not due to violence, but mainly to his pre-existing health and drug residues in his blood.
The expectations of the process are immense – Floyd’s fate had led to mass protests against police violence and racism in the USA for months in the middle of the corona pandemic. The protests shook the country on a historic scale. In other countries around the world, including Germany, people took to the streets against racism. Many people in the US hope for a verdict that will take a stand against racism and police violence.
“This is not a difficult case,” said Floyd’s family lawyer, Ben Crump, last week. “George Floyd’s death was witnessed by more people than anyone, white or black. We all saw the same thing: the irrefutable and unjustifiable murder of a black man by a police officer,” Crump wrote on Twitter.
The process is broadcast live. The 14 jurors who will ultimately rule on Chauvin’s guilt or innocence should not be shown. For security reasons, your identity will be kept secret until further notice. Two of the jury members are considered substitute candidates, so in the end only twelve will give the verdict. The selection of the jury had dragged on for two and a half weeks because it had been difficult for the court to find the most unbiased candidates possible in this prominent case.
The city of Minneapolis recently agreed on a settlement payment of $ 27 million for police actions with Floyd’s family. However, this does not directly affect the criminal proceedings.
In addition to Chauvin, three other ex-police officers involved in the operation against Floyd have been charged, who will stand trial in a separate trial from 23 August. They are charged with aid. They too could face long prison sentences.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210329-99-07527 / 3
Source: DPA
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