After some discussions between attorneys, Juror One has been dismissed.

A nursing assistant from Mexico, she explained her initial response to receiving the pre-trial questionnaire for potential jurors was: "Why me?"

After she expressed concern about her fluency in English, Chauvin's attorney Eric Nelson asked a series of questions about her proficiency, sometimes needing to rephrase or repeat what he meant.

She also told the defence that she solicited the help of her husband and translation tools to fill out the questionnaire.

The exchange convinced the defence to dismiss the woman "primarily based on language proficiency".

Announcing the decision, Judge Cahill noted it was not really about the language.

"It was more that she's not a sophisticated juror... given that there was some concern about lack of understanding of legal terms."

Tara McKelvey
BBC News, Minneapolis

Image source, Tara McKelvey

Members of the National Guard are stationed outside the courthouse where Derek Chauvin is on trial, and the area around the courthouse remains heavily fortified.

Edward Washington, 39, a musician and rapper, made his way here early this morning and has been walking in front of the building, helping to make sure other activists remain safe.

For him, the trial has special significance.

He has himself served time in prison and wants to make sure there is justice in this case.

"We’re not asking that he be eradicated or nothing like that," he says, referring to Chauvin. "But he needs to pay his dues."

Image source, Getty Images

George Floyd's death inspired weeks of protests against racial injustice in cities across the world - this also means picking a jury gets a bit more complicated.

Given the extent of graphic evidence in the public eye, Chauvin's trial is considered a real test for a US justice system that faces consistent accusations of racial basis and leniency toward law enforcement.

Now, the court must find jurors who can put previous perceptions aside to decide in a fair and impartial manner.

And as we've already seen with the first potential juror, it is highly unlikely that people will be coming in without any prior knowledge of Floyd's death.

Lawyers are now questioning the first prospective juror about her answers to the questionnaire.

She is asked whether she formed an opinion over the video of Floyd's arrest - she says yes, adding, "we're just humans...he said he can't breathe".

"Would you be willing to change that opinion if you find other information out later?" the attorney asks.

She takes a deep breath and says: "Yes."

Here's a look at some of the other key questions the jury pool was asked.

• What do you know - any and all details - about this case from media reports?
• Have you ever talked about George Floyd’s death with your family, friends, or co-workers, or discussed it online, for example, on social media?
• Did you, or someone close to you, participate in any of the demonstrations or marches against police brutality that took place in Minneapolis after George Floyd’s death? If so, did you carry a sign?
• How favorable or unfavorable are you about Blue Lives Matter?

You can read the full list of questions here., external

Judge Cahill has asked all but one potential juror to wait patiently outside for their turn.

He is now questioning Juror One, an unseen woman.

She begins by raising an issue with her fluency in English, saying she understands what's going on, but may not know all the legalese in the case.

Juror One also mentions that she had recently seen something on television about Floyd's death.

"Everybody has read or seen something," says Cahill. "The question becomes can you put all that aside to be a juror in this case?"

With that, it's time for the lawyers to begin questioning.

With the potential jury pool now in the courtroom, Judge Cahill explains the process.

Here's what it looks like:

Each possible juror will be questioned one by one (with masks on, Cahill notes). The others will wait in a separate room for their turn.

They will be questioned on a range of topics, including their familiarity with the attorneys and witnesses in their case, as well as their interest - or lack thereof - in the outcome of the case.

To protect their privacy, the jurors will neither be identified by name nor shown on screen.

Cahill also asks each jury candidate to not speak about the trial, share insights in public or online, or look up trial matters online during the proceedings.

"You are not investigators," says Cahill. "Above all, you must not talk to anyone."

Potential jurors have now filed into the courtroom.

"A person charged with a crime has a right to a fair trial," Cahill tells them.

"In order to make sure the jurors who are selected are impartial, the law provides that the court and the attorneys may ask questions of all potential jurors that must be answered under oath."

He thanks the potential jurors for their "contribution to the important and serious matter at hand".

Cahill says the questioning today will follow-up on those included in the questionnaire, as well as others.

The judge also tells the potential jurors that they should not "take offence" if they are removed from the trial and that it does not mean that they are unfair individuals.

Attorneys on both sides will introduce themselves and then proceedings will begin.

This trial is not free from Covid considerations.

Large clear plastic dividers are set up all through the courtroom, which is the largest in the county.

The dividers separate the judge and courtroom staff from the rest of the room and also go down the middle between the prosecution and the defence.

In addition, star prosecutor Neal Katyal is beaming into today's proceedings via Zoom.

Reporter Rochelle Olson from the local Star Tribune paper shared a snapshot of the virtual view on Twitter.

Image source, Getty Images

Murder trials on live television in the US are the exception, not the norm.

From Ted Bundy to OJ Simpson, only the highest profile suspects have seen their trials broadcast into American homes.

Minnesota Judge Peter Cahill, who is presiding over Derek Chauvin’s case, acknowledged that televising the trial was "unique" but concluded it was "the only reasonable and meaningful method" to ensure both a fair trial and the public’s right of access.

His ruling came in November after news outlets pushed for live cameras in the courtroom, given the immense interest in the case. The alternative, they argued, was to rely on the court’s low-quality closed-circuit cameras.

Prosecutors had argued that live streaming the trial could violate court rules and scare away witnesses.

But Judge Cahill brushed aside the concerns, arguing he can change the rules at any time "in any case to prevent manifest injustice".

Image source, Getty Images

The judge has called for a brief recess now - things will resume in about thirty minutes, when the first potential jurors of the day are called in. At that point, lawyers will introduce themselves and the selection process will begin.

As we await all that, let's take a quick look at who the key players in this trial are:

• The man overseeing this case is Judge Peter Cahill of the Hennepin County District Court. First appointed to the bench in 2007, he has been re-elected three times.
• On trial is Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis Police Department officer who placed his knee on George Floyd's neck for seven minutes and 46 seconds. Chauvin was fired after the incident.
• Minneapolis attorney Eric Nelson is handling Chauvin's defence after his previous lawyer recused himself. Nelson has practiced criminal defense across the state of Minnesota for over 20 years.
• The prosecution is being led by the office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. Ellison's office has named three attorneys to lead the charge: Jerry Blackwell, Matthew Frank and Steve Schleicher.
• Former Acting Solicitor General of the US, Neal Katyal, has joined the prosecution team. Katyal has argued several cases before the Supreme Court and also once appeared in the political TV drama House of Cards.

Trial proceedings are now underway. Attorneys are debating motions before the judge.

The dispute over a third-degree murder charge against Chauvin still hangs over the trial.

An appeals court has not yet weighed in on whether the case should be paused until a decision is made, but Judge Peter Cahill has ordered potential jurors to report to the courtroom shortly this morning.

Image source, AFP

Derek Chauvin stands accused of second-degree unintentional murder and manslaughter in the 25 May death of George Floyd.

He had faced an additional charge of third-degree murder, but the judge agreed to drop the charge last year after the defence argued there was a lack of probable cause.

A Minnesota appeals court has been asked to weigh in on whether the charge should be reinstated (which led to Monday's trial delay).

To find Chauvin guilty of third-degree murder, prosecutors must prove that he showed a reckless disregard for human life. Legal experts say that adding this charge could make it easier for prosecutors to get a conviction.

Lawyers for the former police officer have said they will ask the Minnesota Supreme Court to review the court of appeals decision.

A review could cause further delays, but Judge Peter Cahill has said he is keen to get started with jury selection today.

Tara McKelvey
BBC News, Minneapolis

The Chauvin trial was postponed because of a dispute over a third-degree murder charge - one that could be added, to the other, more serious charges.

Some Minneapolis lawyers say this means trouble for the prosecutors, while others say they are doing fine, and that they show no signs of distress.

For their part, the prosecutors said in court on Monday the decision to charge Chauvin with third-degree murder was "a very important matter", and will have an impact on their strategy. For this reason, the prosecutors wanted to delay the selection of a jury until the matter was resolved.

One lawyer, Ron Meuser, who works in a Minneapolis suburb, and represents former police officers, says selecting a jury will be tough.

"It’s unclear, really, whether Officer Chauvin is going to be able to get a fair trial. Everyone in Minnesota, and frankly in the US, has seen and heard, and frankly formed their own opinions, as to what transpired on that fateful day.”

Meuser and others in Minneapolis are watching closely to see what the prosecutors will do next, and how the trial will unfold.

The first order of business: selecting 12 jurors (and four back-ups).

These jurors will deliver the verdict in the trial and in such a high-profile case, the court will want to try to ensure they will be able to judge Chauvin fairly.

Four potential jurors will appear in court each morning, with another four in the afternoon, to be individually questioned in a process that could take weeks.

Eligible citizens have already received a 16-page questionnaire asking about their familiarity with the case, news habits and interactions with police, among other things that may affect their judgement.

We're resuming our live coverage of the Derek Chauvin trial as jury selection is set to begin this morning.

This trial over the killing of George Floyd - an unarmed black man - in Minneapolis last May is one of the most significant in US history. Chauvin is accused of unintentional murder and manslaughter.

Graphic footage of Floyd's death showed the police officer with his knee on Floyd's neck for over seven minutes and sparked protests against racism and police brutality in the US and around the world.

Proceedings were delayed yesterday as an appeals panel weighed a prosecutorial request to add another charge - third-degree murder - against Chauvin.

We are ending our live coverage for the day. We will resume tomorrow for the jury selection. Here's what happened today.

Read more:

• How will the jury be selected?
• What happened to George Floyd?
• What we know about the officers charged

Barbara Plett Usher
BBC News, Minneapolis

Supporters of George Floyd have gathered here outside the Hennepin County Court where the jury will be selected, now beginning on Tuesday.

It will be an enormous challenge to find impartial jurors for such a famous case - prospective candidates have already filled out questionnaires to help the legal teams screen for bias.

But first the judge wants to hear from the state Court of Appeals about whether to reinstate a charge of third-degree murder that was dismissed last fall.

Legal experts say that could make it easier for prosecutors to get a conviction.

If so it would be added to existing charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter against fired officer Derek Chauvin.

Judge Peter Cahill has delayed the start of the trial until Tuesday morning.

Jury selection was slated to begin this morning but has been delayed because the judge must rule on reinstating a third-degree murder charge against officer Derek Chauvin.

Tara McKelvey
BBC News, Minneapolis

Image source, Getty Images

The trial of Derek Chauvin, a former police officer who has been charged in the death of George Floyd, is one of the most divisive and emotional ones in recent history.

Finding a group of jurors, impartial men and women who reflect the city’s diversity, is a challenge.

Jury selection starts today, and puts Minneapolis in the spotlight, again.

Legal experts say that the selection of the jury is crucial to the trial, and to the perception that people have of the legal process. Chauvin’s treatment of Floyd was recorded in a video that set off widespread protests against police brutality, and was shared around the globe.

“The whole world watched this video, so the whole world is expecting there to be a response,” says Artika Tyner, a law professor at University of Saint Thomas in Minneapolis.

In the now-infamous video, Chauvin held Floyd on the ground, with a knee on his neck. Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder, as well as second-degree manslaughter. An autopsy showed Floyd had a heart condition, and drugs in his system, and the argument of the defense lawyers is based on the cause of death.

The first phase of the trial, the selection of the jury, could take two weeks, an unusually long period of time. A questionnaire for the potential jurors runs 14 pages, and has been distributed to the individuals who are under consideration for the jury.

The questions for the potential jurors highlight the themes of the trial, focusing on people’s attitudes towards the defendant and the victim, as well as on the work of police officers, and their views of the justice system.

Image source, District Court State of Minnesota

The questionnaire sent to potential jurors has been made public.

Here are some of the key questions:

• What do you know - any and all details - about this case from media reports?
• Have you ever watched video of George Floyd’s death on the news or the internet?
• Have you ever talked about George Floyd’s death with your family, friends, or co-workers, or discussed it online, for example, on social media?
• Did you, or someone close to you, participate in any of the demonstrations or marches against police brutality that took place in Minneapolis after George Floyd’s death? If so, did you carry a sign?
• How favorable or unfavorable are you about Blue Lives Matter?

You can read the full list of questions here., external