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Minneapolis (AP) - The trial of ex-police officer Derek Chauvin for killing George Floyd is about to be concluded.
The prosecution and defense proceedings begin today at the court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Both sides will try to convince the jury.
The hearing of witnesses in the main trial ended after three weeks on Thursday.
Floyd, 46, was killed in brutal arrest on May 25th in Minneapolis.
Videos documented how the police pushed the unarmed man to the ground.
Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for around nine minutes while Floyd pleaded for him to breathe.
According to the autopsy, Floyd passed out and died.
The officers arrested Floyd on suspicion of paying with a fake $ 20 bill.
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After the pleadings, the twelve members of the jury deliberate in order to decide on Chauvin's guilt or innocence. There is no time limit for this - they could decide within an hour or after a week, as Judge Peter Cahill explained. The jury is no longer allowed to go home during the deliberations, but rather is housed in a hotel. For security reasons, the jury will remain anonymous until further notice.
The most serious charge against Chauvin is second degree murder without intent. They are imprisoned for up to 40 years. According to German law, this would be more like manslaughter. In addition, Chauvin is also accused of third degree murder, which can be punished with up to 25 years in prison. He also has to answer for second degree manslaughter, which is followed by ten years in prison. Chauvin, who was released after the incident and is on bail, has pleaded not guilty.
Chauvin's defense lawyers argued that Floyd's death was not primarily due to violence, but primarily to his pre-existing health and drug residues in his blood.
Experts from the public prosecutor's office clearly rejected this.
For example, a lung specialist said that Floyd died as a result of a lack of oxygen.
The low oxygen levels caused brain damage and brought Floyd's heart to a standstill.
Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo described Chauvin's use of force as disproportionate and illegal.
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The selection of the jury had taken a long time in this case.
Defense lawyers, prosecutors and the court interviewed dozens of candidates for two and a half weeks in order to find the fairest and most unbiased jury members possible.
The public prosecutor also wanted to ensure that blacks and other minorities were adequately represented on the jury.
Floyd's fate had sparked a wave of demonstrations against racism and police violence in the United States in the middle of the pandemic - making it the largest protest movement in decades.
The process takes place under strict security precautions.
The expectations of the process are immense.
Many people, probably also most blacks, hope for a verdict that will send a signal against racism and police violence in the USA - and against the fact that security forces often seem to get away with impunity.
If Chauvin is acquitted or given a short prison sentence because the jury only finds him guilty of manslaughter, for example, massive protests are likely to result.
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The Minneapolis metropolitan area has been shaken by isolated protests for a week.
It was triggered by a fatal shot by a white policewoman at a 20-year-old black woman, Daunte Wright, at a traffic stop in the suburb of Brooklyn Center.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210419-99-257542 / 2