United States: George’s murder trial has begun …

This Tuesday the long-awaited trial for the death of George Floyd has begun, african american man brutally murdered by a policeman in Minneapolis, Northern United States.

Nine months after the crime which rekindled the historic racial problems of this country and led to massive protests in various parts of the world, Now ex-cop Derek Chauvin will sit in the dock.

The trial against Chauvin began with jury selection a day after it was postponed because the prosecution wanted to add a third charge against the accused. The 44-year-old former police officer faces charges of second degree murder and manslaughter, which carry a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

Chauvin, who was kicked out of police and released on bail, appeared in court wearing a gray suit and black mask, standing behind a plastic panel installed as a protective measure against the coronavirus.

Judge Peter Cahill decided to start with the jury selection, despite uncertainty as to whether a third degree murder charge will be added, when an appeals court is expected to rule on the petition.

The jury selection is expected to last approximately three weeks, and arguments for the trial will begin on March 29. More than 370 witnesses could be called to testify. A verdict is not expected before the end of April.

Meanwhile, the other three ex-officers who were involved in Floyd’s arrest will also be tried together, but later this year.

Because of the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, few people were able to be present in the courtroom. In addition, he has been informed that the Floyd and Chauvin families can only have one person as their representative at each hearing.

George Floyd’s murder

May 25, 2020 George floyd, a 46-year-old African American, was arrested in the middle of the street on charges of trying to pay with a fake 20 dollar bill at a nearby store.

Chauvinist immobilized Floyd with the help of two other policemen, then held him with his knee against his neck for almost nine minutes, while another officer prevented witnesses from intervening.

The scene was filmed by several neighbors and the video shows Floyd saying that couldn’t breathe. Hours later, the man was pronounced dead in hospital.

Floyd’s police video went viral and sparked a wave of protests in the United States under the slogan “Black Lives Matters”, also placing police violence and structural racism at the center of political debate amid the presidential campaign. largely because of the crackdown. promoted by then re-election candidate Donald Trump.

The polarization has forced even opposition candidate and current President Joe Biden to make concrete promises to reform the police and combat the “structural racism” that still prevails in much of American society.

Chauvin’s trial, the fourth involving the murder of a civilian by a police officer in modern Minnesota history, is seen as a potential milestone in a country that has just elected its first black vice president, but has historically seen how the police were not condemned for their abuses.