Death of George Floyd in the United States: a judge delays the start of the trial

George Floyd died on May 25, 2020, after spending more than eight minutes on the ground, run over by a police officer.

AP - Jim Mone

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

It should have opened today in Minneapolis.

Finally, it will start at best tomorrow Tuesday.

It is the judge who decided so after final debates on the nature of the charges weighing against Derek Chauvin, this white police officer at the origin of the death of the African-American George Floyd, during his arrest, in May 2020. He is currently charged with murder and manslaughter.  

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Derek Chauvin appeared as scheduled before the judges in Minneapolis, the large city in the northern United States, on Monday, March 8.

The jury selection was to begin but Judge Peter Cahill decided otherwise: "

The potential jurors are there, but let's be realistic, we will not start the selection until at least tomorrow,

 " he said.

The prosecution is indeed reluctant to go ahead because of the charges against Derek Chauvin, the 44-year-old police officer who knelt over George Floyd, 9 minutes, on May 25, 2020. He is accused. “second degree murder”, which excludes premeditation, but implies intent to kill, and “manslaughter”.

On Friday, an appeals court authorized the addition of a third count, "third degree murder."

This charge is easier to prove, because only willful violence resulting in death must be proven, without any notion of intention.

Lawyers for Derek Chauvin have taken the matter to the Minnesota Supreme Court.

For the state of Minnesota, which carries the charge, this uncertainty poses a risk to the entire trial.

We do not want to delay the trial, but we want to do well 

," defended prosecutor Matthew Frank.

The trial is taking place under high security because of the major anti-racist demonstrations of the summer.

Potential jurors are due to return tomorrow at 10 a.m. (3 p.m. ET).

To read also: Death of George Floyd in Minneapolis: the police officer in question arrested and imprisoned

See also: United States: high-risk start of the trial of Derek Chauvin, the police officer who killed George Floyd

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