Court: Derek Chauvin's Trial Set For March Will Be Held In Person
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Hennepin County District Court has ruled that the Derek Chauvin trial, which is set for March, will be held in person, and not virtually.
On Wednesday, the court order from Chief Judge Toddrick Barnette says there are "exceptional circumstances to support" conducting the hearing in person after reviewing the Pandemic In-Person Hearing Request. The jury trial scheduled for March 8, with Judge Peter Cahill presiding, will also be held in person.
Due to the pandemic, all court proceedings in Minnesota are to be held remotely unless granted an exception.
Floyd, a Black man, died May 25 after Chauvin, who is white, pressed his knee against Floyd's neck while he was handcuffed face down on the street. Police were investigating whether Floyd used a counterfeit bill at a nearby store. In a video widely seen on social media, Floyd could be heard pleading with officers for air, saying he couldn't breathe.
Three other former officers face charges in the case. In January, the trial was separated into two trials, with the trial for the other three former officers scheduled for Aug. 23.
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Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's death. Former officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane are each charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder, as well as aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
Floyd's death sparked protests in Minneapolis and elsewhere and renewed calls for an end to police brutality and racial inequities.
