The trial of the murder of former police officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd hit a new hurdle on Wednesday, when a Minneapolis judge was forced to fire two jurors who were already sitting on the high-profile case.
Hennepin District Judge Peter Cahill questioned the seven jurors who were sitting before the news of a $ 27 million settlement in a civil wrongful death lawsuit filed by the Floyd family – and ruled that two of the panelists could no longer be impartial.
“It will have a big impact,” a juror, identified as Jury 36, told Cahill on Wednesday morning.
“So, last time, I was asked about my strong opinions about Chauvin,” he told the judge. “Clearly, the city of Minneapolis also has some strong views. And it kind of confirms my opinions that I already had. “
The second juror, juror 20, admitted that the value of the agreement “shocked me” and “kind of shook me a little”.
Only two of the seven said they had not heard of the agreement, and three others said they knew, but that did not change their opinion of the case.
But the development presents a new obstacle to the trial, where lawyers have been struggling to place jurors in the case.
Two other jurors had been seated since news of the civil settlement was released, for a total of nine panelists. But the removal of two of them on Wednesday now reduces the total number of panelists to seven.
Chauvin’s lawyer, Eric Nelson, argued that the news of the heavy payout contaminated the jury – saying the city agreement suggests that the former police officer is guilty of the charges.
“You have the city settling a civil case for a record amount of money, and pre-trial advertising is very worrying,” Nelson told the judge on Tuesday. “I see the fact that we still essentially need three acting judges and two alternates.”
Cahill called the news of the deal “unhappy”, but noted that “it was not a legal decision. This is a political decision. “
On Tuesday, Cahill also expressed concern that potential jurors would hear that Chauvin may have been on the verge of a guilty plea last month.
According to reports, Chauvin was prepared to plead guilty to a third-degree murder charge until then US Attorney General William Barr blocked the deal, USA Today said.
The selection of the jury – and the subsequent judgment – is being carried out under strong security, given the divisive and highly volatile nature of the case.
On Tuesday, Cahill criticized media reports detailing security measures on the 18th floor of the court for the trial and threatened to remove the cameras from the court if those reports were not removed.
The judge did not mention specific news or media.
“If you don’t, you will possibly also be expelled from the media center,” said the judge at the beginning of Wednesday’s proceedings.
Cahill is also expected to decide on two defense motions this week – delay or move the trial to another city due to the amount of publicity surrounding the case.
Chauvin is seen in a viral video pressing his knee to Floyd’s neck for nearly 9 minutes at a Minneapolis intersection on May 25. The incident sparked protests around the world against police brutality and racial injustice.
Selection of the jury will continue on Wednesday, with lawyers now needing five more jurors and two alternates to form a jury for the trial, which is scheduled to begin on March 29.
