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The jury selection on the trial of a white ex-cop over the violent death of African American George Floyd has been completed.
On Tuesday a 15th member of the jury was chosen.
Twelve jurors will determine the guilt or innocence of the defendant Derek Chauvin in the trial in Minneapolis, Minnesota, starting Monday.
Judge Peter Cahill also called for three replacement candidates to be appointed.
The selection of the jury was extremely complex and took two weeks to complete: the jury has to go into the main hearing with an open mind.
However, there have been extensive reports on Floyd's death on May 25, 2020 and the actions of the accused ex-police officer.
Prosecutors and defense asked numerous questions to check whether the jury candidates had already formed an opinion on the case.
The substantive negotiations against Chauvin, who is at large on bail, begin on March 29th.
Floyd's death, captured on cell phone video, had hit the headlines around the world and sparked unprecedented protests.
Chauvin held the knee of the 46-year-old arrested for a suspected false 20-dollar bill for around nine minutes on the street, although Floyd complained more than 20 times that he could not breathe.
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Floyd's phrase “I can't breathe” - “I can't breathe” or “I can't breathe” - became a motto of the Black Lives Matter movement against racism and police violence against black people.
The protests, partly overshadowed by riots, kept the United States in suspense for weeks.
The lawsuit against chauvin therefore receives enormous attention.
It takes place under massive security precautions and is broadcast live.
The policeman, who was released after Floyd's death, is charged with, among other things, "second degree murder".
This corresponds to a manslaughter in a particularly serious case, albeit without intent to kill, and can be punished with up to 40 years in prison.
A second charge is "second degree manslaughter".