Derek Chauvin Trial, Day 10: Jury Selection To Stretch Into Monday, Judge Denies Request For Continuance
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The second week of the Derek Chauvin trial comes to an end with key decisions and unfinished business. The judge ruled to keep the trial in Minneapolis and not to delay it.
Thirteen jurors have now been seated, which means jury selection will continue next week. The number has been 14 jurors, 12 plus two alternates. At the end of Friday, the judge said he wants to get two more, so they definitely have 14 when opening statements start on March 29. That means they're aiming to seat 15 total.
Judge Peter Cahill will also allow a limited amount of a May 2019 encounter between George Floyd and Minneapolis police to be presented to the jury. Body camera video shows officers accusing Floyd of swallowing drugs, and you can hear him call out for his mom.
"The May 6, 2019 evidence is only admissible for the limited purpose of Mr. Floyd's, an example of Floyd's bodily reaction, physical symptoms upon being confronted in almost the exact same situation," Cahill said.
The emotional behavior is out, so is an expert the state wanted to testify.
Meanwhile, the 13th juror seated is a woman in her 50s who likes animals, worked in customer service, and is in between jobs. She said she's seen some of the fatal encounter between Floyd and Minneapolis Police, and said she can put aside any opinions about it.
"I feel like the video may not show the entirety of the situation of what happened, it's a snippet of what happened," she said.
The state struck a potential juror, so did the defense. The judge excused four. One said she had her mind made up, another said she had a strong reaction to the video.
At this point, there are five men and eight women on the jury. Six of the 13 are Persons of Color. Their ages range from 20s to 60s.
Jury selection resumes Monday at 9 a.m.
