Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin and his attorney Eric Nelson at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Monday.
The high-profile trial, which is being livestreamed, is expected to last for at least four weeks. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.selection processInside the courtroom at the heavily fortified Hennepin County Government Center, both the prosecution and the defense tried to make clear what the case was — and was not — about.
Prosecutors have revised the amount of time that Chauvin had his knee on Floyd's neck from the previous time of eight minutes and 46 seconds, which became an enduring symbol for police brutality protests last summer. He said the state will call several use of force experts and law enforcement officials, including the Minneapolis chief of police, Medaria Arradondo, to testify that Chauvin’s conduct was “not consistent” with police training and policy and that his actions constituted an excessive and unreasonable use of force that contributed to Floyd’s death.
Even after he was told that Floyd had no pulse, Blackwell said Chauvin “did not let up and did not get up.”