While there are still days to go, the first challenge in the trial of former white police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of African-American George Floyd was to select a jury unaffected by the images of that death affecting the world. went around.
Chauvin, who wore a suit and tie during the jury selection, is accused of murdering Floyd when he placed his knee on the man’s neck on May 25, 2020, who called his mother handcuffed and lying on the floor two dozen times. repeated, “I can’t breathe.”
The attack was recorded on an eight-minute 46-second video and sparked the largest anti-racism protests in the US since the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. late 1960s.
A DIFFICULT HONESTY
Because of the wide distribution of the images, it is difficult to find anyone among Minneapolis (Minnesota) residents who has no opinion on the subject or who can put it aside to objectively assess the evidence of the trial, he explained. to Efe Ted Sampsell-Jones, professor of law at Mitchell Hamline School in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Knowing how complicated the case is, Minneapolis sent a questionnaire to neighbor’s mailboxes in December to initiate the jury’s pre-selection.
The 16-page questionnaire included questions such as, “Have you ever seen the George Floyd video?” or “Did you or someone close to you participate in the Minneapolis protests against police brutality?”
This served to make a preliminary screening, which passed dozens of candidates, more than 80 of whom have already been questioned by the defense and prosecution, although the leading vote was led by Judge Peter Cahill, white and with the reputation direct to be. .
This is because in the US, the judge hears the arguments of the defense and the prosecution for or against the possible jurors, but it is he who makes the final decision.
Again, the defense may reject 15 candidates and the Prosecution 9, a greater number than on other occasions because of the difficulty of finding people without prejudice.
The only exception under Minnesota law is that neither party can screen an applicant for skin color.
THE RACE COMPONENT OF THE JURY
The law allows the exclusion of candidates who have had bad experiences with the police, which is more common among African Americans than whites, so in practice a demographic is disregarded, Andrew told Efe Gordon, deputy director of the police. Legal Rights Center, a Minnesota NGO that provides legal services to disadvantaged communities.
Another important factor, Gordon noted, is that each jury member only receives $ 20 a day, so many African Americans choose not to sit on the jury.
“People don’t charge and pay. They think that ‘with $ 20 I have to pay the rent, feed my kids or even find someone who can take care of them because some schools are closed because of the pandemic’.” that way African Americans are systematically excluded, ”he said.
In fact, census data shows that a black family in Minneapolis earns an average of $ 36,000 a year, far from the 83,000 a white family earns.
SEVEN OBJECTIVES AMONG THE MEMBERS
For all these reasons, seven people have been selected so far to describe themselves as white and six from other races.
It remains to choose one more person, something that could happen on Monday if the trial resumes. A total of 14 members are needed, although two will serve as alternates.
Right now, the oldest person is an African American woman in their 60s and the youngest in their 20s, and they are a white man and woman who describes herself as multiracial.
27 MILLION DOLLARS
Race aside, another factor that has crept into the lawsuit is the $ 27 million settlement that Minneapolis will pay to Floyd’s family as part of a civil suit.
Minneapolis announced the agreement to select the jury halfway through the trial, which made the defense and prosecution uncomfortable, albeit for different reasons.
Chauvin’s lawyers are concerned that a juror will think his defendant is guilty because Minneapolis has decided to compensate the victim’s family members, while the defense fears the jury will think the former police officer should not be convicted because he is already there . is compensation for Floyd’s family, University of Minnesota Law professor David Schultz explained to Efe.
Once the jury is selected, the “de facto” trial will begin on March 29 with the parties’ initial arguments.
The selection process takes place amid massive security measures in the Minneapolis courthouse, which is surrounded by concrete barriers and barbed wire for fear of violent protests and the arrival of far-right militias or members of racist groups.