Summary

  • Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is accused of the murder of George Floyd last May

  • It's day one of jury selection, which could take up to three weeks

  • The first juror is picked after being asked about Black Lives Matter and the damning video at the centre of the case

  • Several potential jurors are dismissed after questioning, due to various concerns about their impartiality and language skills

  • After quizzing dozens of candidates, lawyers will eventually select 16 people, 12 to sit plus four in reserve

  • Chauvin was filmed pressing his knee on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes before he died

  • Floyd's death sparked mass anti-racism protests around the world and renewed calls to end police brutality

  • Three other officers are charged with aiding and abetting murder and will stand trial later this year

  1. Thank you for joining uspublished at 22:57 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    Thank you for following our live coverage of the second day of jury selection in the trial against ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

    Jury selection is expected to take about three more weeks, with the trial itself forecast by the judge to be about four weeks long.

    Today's coverage was provided by Sam Cabral, Ritu Prasad, Boer Deng and Max Matza.

  2. Court in recesspublished at 22:51 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    Barbed wire and fencing have gone up to protect the courthouseImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Barbed wire and fencing have gone up to protect the courthouse

    The court is adjourned for today, after selecting the third juror to serve on the panel that will determine Chauvin's guilt or innocence.

    It comes after 21 jurors were rejected.

    Jury selection will resume again tomorrow morning.

    Three jurors were selected today. Two are men and one is a woman.

    Nine more jurors must be selected, with two more to serve as alternates.

  3. A third juror is chosen - and the court prepares to adjournpublished at 22:27 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    Assistant prosecutor Steve Schleicher is now questioning the potential juror.

    He begins by asking what the man meant in his questionnaire when he says he had heard that Floyd had been on "hard drugs" at the time of his death. He defines "hard drugs" as anything harder than marijuana.

    "Frankly I don't think that should have much impact on the case. Because whether you're under the influence of drugs shouldn't determine whether you're living or dead," he says.

    He says that Floyd's "checkered past" involving run-ins with law enforcement is something he is capable of putting aside for this trial.

    The potential juror discloses that he is an auditor by profession. He is selected just as the court reaches its adjournment time.

  4. 'I can keep an open mind'published at 22:15 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    "I'm an honest person. Straightforward and easy to talk to," says prospective juror number 19.

    He says he previously served on a jury about five years ago and that he has a friend who is a police officer.

    The possible juror says he used to work across the street from the Minneapolis courtroom, and that all the new gates and protective measures were "surprising" to him when he saw them on his way to court today.

    Asked by Chauvin's lawyer if he could keep an open mind as he hears all the evidence, the man says "yes".

    He says he has some familiarity with the case, and is asked if he has already formed an opinion about Chauvin's guilt or innocence.

    "I have not because I have not examined it from the viewpoint of the law," he says.

    "I would have to take the charges that were brought against the defendant and based upon the fact presented, determine if that was met."

  5. What do people mean by 'defund the police'?published at 22:04 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    Defund police photoImage source, Getty Images

    The juror who was just dismissed expressed scepticism for efforts to "defund the police," a term that has been used significantly more often in the aftermath of Floyd's death.

    Critics of police say that cities and states spend far too much money on their police departments without sufficiently funding education, mental health, housing and other community-based social services.

    Last year, demand grew for political leaders to "defund" the police, usually meaning reducing funds, not cutting departments altogether.

    But the term is controversial among advocates for police reform. Former President Barack Obama was criticised by fellow Democrats after he condemned the term as a "snappy slogan".

    Read more here:

    Seven solutions to US police problems

  6. 'Police cover for each other a lot'published at 21:53 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    "This whole thing is very divisive and I'm not a divisive person," says prospective juror number 17, who has been making it clear that he is not eager to serve in the trial.

    "Police cover for each other a lot," he says, adding that he would be biased against witnesses who are police officers.

    The potential juror says he is a 19 year-old trade school student, and that he's feeling anxious about being in court today.

    Shortly afterwards, the judge dismisses the young man and he is not selected.

  7. The remaining prospective jurorspublished at 21:47 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    According to the reporters at court, there were six people remaining in the potential jury pool this afternoon.

    There are five men, ranging in age from their 20s to the 60s.

    There is one woman remaining, who appears to be in her 40s, reporters say.

    They are a racially diverse group, including Caucasian, Asian and biracial citizens.

  8. Black Lives Matter: One activist's viral Monopoly analogypublished at 21:40 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    As the jury selection continues, let's take a step out of the courtroom and back to last summer, when George Floyd's death led to nationwide protests.

    One woman came up with a simple way to explain how centuries of economic hardship have impacted black Americans: Monopoly.

    Author and activist Kimberly Jones was cleaning up the streets during the Floyd protests when she came up with a simple way to explain the impact of centuries of economic hardship on African Americans: the board game Monopoly.

    Her analogy was filmed by a friend and shared online. The video went viral, drawing praise from celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Lebron James, Trevor Noah and Madonna.

    In it, Jones explains that black Americans can't win because "the game is fixed".

    Here's what Jones told the BBC when we spoke to her last year:

    Media caption,

    Black Lives Matter: 'How can we win?' – The Monopoly analogy explained

  9. 'I don't want them to know I was a juror'published at 21:28 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    "It doesn't feel like a coincidence that I'm here and part of this trial," the potential juror says.

    Nelson asks for more clarity - does he feel like it's his purpose to be a juror?

    "I wouldn't say it's my purpose to be here. I just think for whatever reason it is, I'm here right now and maybe there's something I need to learn...or something I've got to see for myself."

    When asked what his personal opinion about the case is, the juror responds that the "whole thing is very divisive".

    He expresses concerns about the future.

    "There's a lot of people I know and I just don't want them to know I was a juror on the case. I don't want to talk about it, I don't want to discuss it."

    He "isn't sure" about the question of whether he can be impartial or not.

    "I don't really trust law enforcement, I just feel intimidated when they come around," he adds. His father, he says, was racially profiled by Minneapolis police.

  10. Tension builds in George Floyd Squarepublished at 21:14 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    Barricades have gone up around the area known as George Floyd SquareImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Barricades have gone up around the area known as George Floyd Square

    As proceedings continue in the courtroom, tensions have been mounting outside at the intersection where Floyd was arrested - Chicago Avenue and E 38th St - and have escalated since the shooting death of a man there over the weekend.

    The corner was renamed George Perry Floyd Jr Place by city officials after a makeshift memorial was set up there following his death.

    Local activists took to Twitter yesterday to ask people to keep away from the area, known locally as George Floyd Square, as they grieve the man's death.

    Barricades are now up, which activists say are to keep police officers out of their "autonomous zone".

    Some residents oppose the zone, amid claims that crimes such as carjacking have risen.

    According to Minnesota Public Radio, external, some neighbours are concerned that criminals have hidden in the zone to avoid being caught during police chases.

    The memorial includes the names of others who died in police encountersImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    The memorial includes the names of others who died in police encounters

    Barricades at the protest areaImage source, Getty Images
  11. Who is lead prosecutor Keith Ellison?published at 21:04 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    Keith EllisonImage source, Getty Images

    Heading up the case against former officer Derek Chauvin is Minnesota's attorney general Keith Ellison.

    Appointed as special prosecutor in the Floyd murder case last May, Ellison proceeded to press more serious charges against Chauvin and his three colleagues than the originally put forth by the county attorney.

    Ellison, who is nearing the end of his second year in charge as the state's top prosecutor, was previously the first Muslim person to win a statewide election in the US.

    He served in the US House of Representatives from 2007 to 2019.

    He was the first Muslim to be elected to Congress.

    A progressive politician with ties to prominent Democrats like Bernie Sanders and Ilhan Omar, Ellison has drawn controversy in the past for his apparent affiliation with the Nation of Islam political group.

  12. Do cameras in the courtroom help or hurt the cause of justice?published at 20:53 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    OJ Simpson trialImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    The OJ Simpson murder trial was one of the most watched TV trials in the world.

    Trial by television is rare in the US and controversial in many countries.

    But when high profile cases have been televised in the US, the American public has followed along from the living room in trials of figures like OJ Simpson and Casey Anthony.

    Sometimes they watch out of genuine interest. Sometimes they watch for pure entertainment value.

    Legal observers have expressed concern that cameras in court can deter or unsettle victims, witnesses and even jurors.

    Thomas Mesereau, a former lawyer for Michael Jackson, told the BBC in 2014 that "it's a case by case decision". Jackson faced allegations of child sexual abuse but his trial was never televised.

    "Sometimes you want to tone down the publicity," explained Mesereau. "Cameras in the courtroom would make it even crazier."

    However, Judge Cahill, who is presiding over the Chauvin trial, said camera access was "the only reasonable and meaningful method" to balance the right to a fair trial with the right of public access.

    Meanwhile, last year, the UK parliament ruled that live cameras would be allowed in Crown Courts in England and Wales for the first time.

  13. Why jury selection is 'key to trial outcome'published at 20:35 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    Jury selection in the trial of Derek Chauvin will be difficult, but will be the critical element of the case, says Derrick Johnson, the CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

    "How well prepared the attorneys are in selecting individuals who will serve on a jury will absolutely determine the outcome of the case," he told the BBC.

    Media caption,

    George Floyd: 'Jury selection key to trial result'

    The jury requires 12 people and 4 alternatives.

    So far, all but two potential jurors have been dismissed.

  14. A second juror is selectedpublished at 20:31 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    Juror number nine, a woman who has said she is eager to hear all the evidence in the trial and answered questions regarding her impartiality from both the defence and the prosecution, has become the second juror to be selected.

    A total of six potential jurors have been heard from so far today.

  15. 'Black Lives Matter' - a movement for change or social media slogan?published at 20:22 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    George Floyd and BLM signsImage source, Getty Images

    The potential juror being interviewed is asked about her views on Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter - two loosely defined and opposing movements supporting black Americans allegedly harmed by authorities and police shamed by protesters, respectively.

    The woman is unimpressed with both, and indeed the movements are not without controversy.

    Our correspondent Aleem Maqbool has explored the journey of 'Black Lives Matter' - the social media post that became a global slogan.

  16. How is US jury selection different from the UK?published at 20:07 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    Jury trials in the UK are less common, and jurors - picked at random - don't know which trial they will serve on until they've been sworn in.

    Jurors can only be dismissed by a judge in very specific circumstances.

    In the US a pool of eligible citizens is called to appear and be questioned by both sides.

    The prosecution and defence can both ask a judge dismiss a potential juror "for cause" if they perceive bias.

    Once they're selected, the chosen jurors will be partially sequestered, or isolated, during the trial and fully sequestered once deliberation starts. They will also remain anonymous until the judge allows their identities to be made public.

    It's not uncommon for US jurors to speak out about their deliberations afterwards, and in some infamous examples, like the OJ Simpson trial, some have even gone on to write books about their experiences.

    Read more about the jury selection process here.

  17. Another potential juror is dismissedpublished at 19:54 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    The potential juror who, before the lunch break, described himself as a Christian and voiced concerns over security, has been dismissed, and the next person called in.

    Potential juror nine has been sworn in. She acknowledges that she has some familiarity with the case, but has said that she would only incorporate information from the trial into any judgment should she be selected.

  18. Police brutality on trial, 30 years agopublished at 19:46 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    Rodney King courtroom sketchImage source, Mary Chaney Family Trust
    Image caption,

    A courtroom sketch from the trial over the beating of Rodney King

    The death of George Floyd at the hands of police was filmed by bystanders and sparked protests across the US, and around the globe.

    Some three decades ago, in Los Angeles, another black man suffered a beating with eerie parallels.

    Four police officers, three of whom were white, beat up motorist Rodney King after a car chase.

    Footage of the incident formed the centerpiece of a trial, but all four officers were acquitted, sparking violent riots in a community that felt there had been no sense of accountability.

    Now, as a different US city in a different decade awaits the verdict of an emotionally charged trial, here's a look back at the influential King trial, thanks to newly released sketches.

  19. And we're backpublished at 19:34 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    The jury selection has resumed after a lunch break, with questioning continuing for the next potential juror.

  20. Did the George Floyd protests change anything?published at 19:23 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2021

    Black Lives Matter protestImage source, Reuters

    Millions of Americans protested in the days and weeks after Floyd was killed.

    But nine months on, the reforms they demanded have largely not materialised.

    The loudest cries were calls to defund the police and shift money toward social services.

    In December, the Minneapolis City Council redirected $8 million of the city's budget from the police department to mental health, violence prevention and other programmes.

    Then, last month, after some 200 officers resigned and with crime sharply rising, the council voted unanimously to spend more than $6 million and recruit more police.

    On a national level, a law named for Floyd that would ban controversial police tactics faces an unlikely path forward in Congress.