MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (CNN) – The video of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes has been seen around the world. Now, jury selection is set to begin Monday in the high-profile trial against the former officer charged with murder in the case.
On May 25th, 2020, the last minutes of George Floyd’s life were caught on camera. The video, and his death, sparked protests across the nation and a renewed movement against police brutality around the world.
Now, nearly ten months later, Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer seen kneeling on Floyd’s neck is set to stand trial with jury selection beginning Monday morning.
Chauvin is facing charges of second-degree-murder and second-degree-manslaughter. He has pleaded not guilty.
His defense is expected to rely heavily on the argument that he was doing what he was trained to do and on Floyd’s toxicology reports, released by the Hennepin County medical examiner, showing several drugs in his system, including morphine, fentanyl, cannabis and methamphetamine, though not all of the tests were reliable, the coroner’s report said.
The judge is allowing the trial to be streamed live to the public.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said, “The killing of George Floyd has brought a torrent of pain and anguish to our entire city, to our entire nation. We recognize that none of this happens in a vacuum and it is righteous to vent that pain and anguish in the form of peaceful protest.”
Barriers and barbed wire have gone up in Minneapolis, fortifying the government center where the trial will take place.
Minneapolis Police Deputy Chief Erick Fors said, “You will also see additional fortification efforts going up around key infrastructure and police precincts.”
Law enforcement and military presence will be heavy. “The main focus is prevention. Prevention of property damage, arson and looting,” Chief Fors said.
Local activists say they’re ready to show up and peacefully protest.
Elizer Darris with the ACLU said, “We expect that our government officials and that our elected officials would take very serious the protection of peoples right to peacefully assemble additionally the right for the press to be present and to monitor.”
Some say they won’t be intimidated by the beefed-up security and are criticizing the plans put in place to fortify parts of the city.
Nekima Levy Armstrong with the Racial Justice Network said, “Rather than listening to us and acting in a way that is compassionate what we see is the governor using the power of Minnesota’s purse to try and stifle our protest and bring in many more law enforcement officers by creating this permanent $35 million fund.”
Others say they will be on the streets keeping an eye out to try to stop things from escalating and turning violent.
Tre Pollard with We Push for Peace said, “We are there to try to make sure that these young men and women is not going to make a decision or a choice that is probably going to hurt them for the rest of their life.”
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