Source: KEREM YUCEL / Getty

This article will be continuously updated throughout the Derek Chauvin murder trial, which began on March 8, including his guilty verdict and conviction on April 20, his prison sentencing on June 25 and his subsequent federal case.

UPDATED: 9:30 a.m. ET, Dec. 14, 2021

It looks like Derek Chauvin is finally accepting his reality as a convicted murderer who intentionally took the life of a handcuffed, unarmed Black man pinned to the ground by his neck for nearly nine minutes because of a cruel and illegal kneeling chokehold.

At least, that’s what appears is the case after it was widely reported that the disgraced former Minneapolis police officer who killed George Floyd was expected to plead guilty in his federal case, which is rapidly approaching. The New York Times reported that Chauvin, 45, was due in court on Monday to change his plea, although there was no immediate confirmation that had actually happened as of Tuesday morning.

Chauvin is facing two federal charges claiming he willfully deprived Floyd of his Constitutional and civil rights via “unreasonable force,” according to a grand jury indictment.

There were reports days after Chauvin was convicted indicating that he and his legal team were working out a plea deal in the federal case. The reported plea deal at the time would have allowed Chauvin to serve his presumptive federal sentence concurrently with the 270-month state sentence he’s serving now.

The federal case accuses Chauvin of violating the civil rights of not just Floyd but also a Black 14-year-old boy who was violently restrained by the throat while being assaulted in the head with a flashlight in 2017.

The state trial

On April 20, Chauvin was unanimously found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for killing Floyd. He was immediately handcuffed and remanded to prison from the courtroom following the reading of the verdict.

The jury took about 10 and a half hours to reach a verdict since beginning deliberations following closing arguments from the prosecution and the defense.

VERDICT REACHED IN THE DEREK CHAUVIN TRIAL IN DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD https://t.co/yqafE2IlMf

— Christal Hayes (@Journo_Christal) April 20, 2021

Cahill read the verdict aloud.

 

 

Prior to Cahill reading the jury their deliberations instructions, prosecutor Steve Schleicher strategically supplemented his closing remarks with video footage of Floyd’s death that emphasized Chauvin’s refusal to stop kneeling while cavalierly putting his hands in his own pockets. 

Prosecutor says defense was shading the truth. He also said you have heard defense testimony that Mr. Floyd died because his heart was too big. The prosecution said Floyd died because Chauvin’s heart was too small. #DerekChauvinTrial

— AprilDRyan (@AprilDRyan) April 19, 2021

“This case is exactly what you thought when you saw it first,” prosecutor Steve Schleicher told the jury, referring to the viral video showing Floyd’s death on Memorial Day last year. “It’s exactly what you saw with your eyes. … It’s what you felt with your gut. It’s what you now know in your heart. This wasn’t policing. This was murder.”

Eric Nelson, Chauvin’s lead lawyer, followed that with a lengthy closing argument that attempted to place doubt about the medical examiner’s resolute declaration and testimony that Floyd’s manner of death was a homicide.

“You were told Mr. Floyd died because his heart was too big. After seeing the evidence, you know Mr. Floyd died because Derek Chauvin’s heart was too small”

— Prosecutor’s closing words in #DerekChauvinTrial

— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) April 19, 2021

“A reasonable doubt is a doubt that is based on reason and common sense,” Nelson said before adding later in his closing arguments: “This was an authorized use of force, as ugly as it might be, and this was reasonable doubt.”

The closing remarks were so lengthy, in fact, that Cahill had to intervene in order to allow the jury a chance to eat lunch after 2 p.m. local time.

#DerekChauvin counsel has tried to preserve 3 issues in case of appeal:
1. Failure to disclose data re carbon monoxide theory (albeit pro-prosecution)
2. Failure to sequester jury for duration of trial
3. Reinstatement 3rd degree murder charge#DerekChauvinTrial #GeorgeFloyd

— Laura Coates (@thelauracoates) April 19, 2021

The defense and prosecution officially rested their cases after Chauvin, 45, spoke for the first time during the trial to officially decline the opportunity to testify in his own defense. That prompted the prosecution to re-examine one of its star witnesses — pulmonologist Dr. Martin Tobin — in an effort to further discredit unproven theories offered up one day earlier by pathologist Dr. David Fowler testifying for the defense about Floyd’s cause of death.

Dr. Tobin testifies that George Floyd’s carboxyhemoglobin level was at most two percent, contradicting Derek Chauvin’s defense witness who claimed yesterday that carbon monoxide poisoning from the police car contributed to George Floyd’s death. pic.twitter.com/N0aFq4VyrQ

— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) April 15, 2021

After Cahill warned of a potential mistrial if Tobin “even mentions” the existence of tests that the prosecution failed to disclose in a timely fashion showing that Floyd had a normal carbon monoxide level. Doing so, Cahill said, would prejudice Chauvin. Still, Tobin cited it almost as soon as he took the stand, prompting Cahill to call an immediate sidebar, but not calling a mistrial.

NEW EVIDENCE: “It’s going to be a mistrial, pure and simple.”

Judge Cahill rules on the newly discovered evidence about carbon monoxide concentrations in #GeorgeFloyd’s blood.

WATCH LIVE – MN v. #DerekChauvin https://t.co/bis122QdFc pic.twitter.com/PYvZNbpkac

— Court TV (@CourtTV) April 15, 2021

Fowler previously testified that Floyd could have died from a number of factors that had nothing to do with Chauvin’s knee, including introducing the wild possibility that carbon monoxide poisoning from a police vehicle idling played an outsized role in the death. The prosecution quickly debunked Flowler’s theories while cross-examining him, but they still did their due diligence by calling Tobin to the stand to have an actual expert address add clarity and context to those claims.

Watch prosecutor Jerry Blackwell destroys defence expert David Fowler’s carbon monoxide theory. pic.twitter.com/wiqzBvTwDX

— TheSadTruth (@ReportsDaNews) April 14, 2021

Prosecutors rested their case after calling at least 40 witnesses.

Chauvin’s attorneys have been clinging to their narrative that Floyd died from anything other than excessive force, including a possible fentanyl overdose. Among the defense’s witnesses was a former officer who interacted with Floyd during a 2019 arrest during his struggle with substance abuse, a paramedic who administered aid to Floyd during the 2019 arrest, and a woman who was with Floyd on the day he was killed by police.

Cahill told jurors the evidence presented from the previous arrest was not to serve “as evidence of the character of George Floyd,” but to show the effects of opioids on the body.

Barry Brodd, a former police officer and use-of-force expert called by the defense, attempted to poke holes in the prosecution’s theory, stating that he believed Chauvin’s actions were “justified” and objectively reasonable because he feels Floyd was resisting arrest.

“I felt that Derek Chauvin was justified, was acting with objective reasonableness, following Minneapolis Police Department policy and current standards of law enforcement in his interaction with Mr. Floyd,” Brodd said.

A second disturbing testimony came when Officer Peter Chang, who also responded to the scene on May 25, told the jury that he was “concerned for the officers’ safety,” in reference to the crowd that gathered. Chang’s body camera footage was submitted as evidence, showing a different vantage point.

Chang also said he was worried because the crowd became “very aggressive.”

Just so we’re clear, officer Chang was concerned for the safety of four armed officers because of this “angry mob”. #ChauvinTrial pic.twitter.com/zGjmadfNfM

— Tamara (@513Tamara) April 13, 2021

Judge Cahill denied the defense’s request to sequester the jury in fear that the nearby police shooting of Daunte Wright could sway their opinion.

Judge Peter Cahill DENIES the defense’s request to sequester the jury in the #DerekChauvinTrial. Defense wanted the jury isolated over the police shooting of Daunte Wright in nearby Brooklyn Center. Cahill said, “This is a totally different case.”@AJEnglish

— John Hendren (@johnhendren) April 12, 2021

Philonise Floyd, Floyd’s brother, took the stand on Day 11 of the trial to help provide the jury with evidence pertaining to “spark of life doctrine” testimony.

Philonise understandably became emotional when talking about his brother and their upbringing in North Carolina. Philonise stated that George was known to be a “mommas boy,” and became inconsolable after losing their mother in 2018. The testimony harkened back to one of Floyd’s last moments where he cried for his mother as he took his last breaths under the weight of Chauvin’s knee.

Two more experts testified on behalf of the defense, adding that Floyd’s death was not caused by a drug overdose and that Chauvin’s used an “unacceptable or reasonable use of force,” as he restrained Floyd.

Earlier, the second week of the Chauvin’s murder trial concluded April 9 with testimony from more medical experts regarding Floyd’s cause of death, including Dr. Andrew Baker, the medical examiner for Minnesota’s Hennepin County, who told the courtroom that fentanyl and heart disease did not directly contribute to Floyd dying.

“In my opinion, the law enforcement subdual, restraint and the neck compression was just more than Mr. Floyd could take by virtue of those heart conditions,” Baker stated early in his testimony.

Baker ruled Floyd’s death a homicide, caused by “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.”

Other expert witnesses for the prosecution testified about whether Chauvin’s use of excessive force fell within the MPD’s policy.

The defense continued a line of questioning based on whether George Floyd’s reported drug use caused his demise and if the crowd restricted Chauvin’s ability to render Floyd aid.

Many observed that the “blue wall of silence” may be crumbling Chauvin at the conclusion of Day 8 following expert testimony from Jody Stiger, a Los Angeles Police Department sergeant who took the stand for the prosecution and said that after reviewing video evidence, he concluded that Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for the entirety of the time of when officers restrained Floyd on the ground, to when EMT’s arrived.

“I did not perceive them as being a threat,” Sgt Jody Stiger on the people gathering near Derek Chauvin and the other officers. When asked why, he said because they were just filming and most of their comments were concern for Mr. Floyd. Stiger is a prosecution expert witness.

— Omar Jimenez (@OmarJimenez) April 7, 2021

Controversy also ensued over defense lawyer Eric Nelson who alleged that Floyd yelled out “I ate too many drugs” during his arrest. Multiple witnesses told the defense that they could not make out that phrase on the video.

On social media, many noted that the audio was too difficult to describe and admonished the defense for inferring something that was not definite. Observers believe that Floyd is actually saying, “I ain’t do no drugs.”

The second week of Chauvin’s murder trial included two important testimonies regarding the medical procedures, or the possibilities of the lack of procedures, administered at the scene of George Floyd‘s death, as well as whether Chauvin operated within the policies regarding the use of excessive force.

Dr. Bradford Langenfeld, the medical professional who pronounced Floyd dead after trying to resuscitate him opened Day 6 and testified that Floyd’s heart most likely stopped due to a lack of oxygen. Langenfeld said that when Floyd was brought to Hennepin County Medical Center, he was not made aware of any efforts made at the scene by bystanders or police to resuscitate. Langenfeld said the chance of a patient’s survival goes down 10 to 15 percent every minute CPR is not performed.

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, a veteran of the force after joining the Minneapolis Police Department in 1989, said he believed Chauvin’s actions directly violated the standing policy.

“That action is not de-escalation,” Arradondo said. “And when we talk about the framework of our sanctity of life and when we talk about our principles and the values that we have, that action goes contrary to what we are talking about.”

Day 4 of Chuavin’s trial brought forth multiple new revelations about Floyd’s personal life as well as the protocol that the former Minneapolis police officer accused of murder was expected to follow.

Courteney Ross, who identified herself as Floyd’s girlfriend, provided poignant testimony about their relationship and offered crucial insight into her drug use. She said they used opioid pills together and discussed how they tried and failed on multiple occasions to break their addictions.

Ross painted a picture of Floyd that showed a God-fearing, kind and loving family man who was battling his own demons — the antithesis of how the defense is portraying him. Calling Ross to the stand was a successful exercise in both humanizing Floyd and pushing back against the narrative of a violent drug addict, legal analysts said.

After two EMT’s testified about arriving at the scene to find Chauvin and other officers on top of Floyd, the police supervisor who was working May 25 took the stand and addressed the controversial knee restraint the defendant employed.

David Pleoger, who has since retired from the Minneapolis Police Department, said Chauvin initially told him Floyd was going “crazy [and] wouldn’t go in the back of the squad.” But then Pleoger dealt the latest blow to the defense when he undermined their entire strategy of blaming Floyd for his own death.

“When Mr. Floyd was no longer offering up any resistance to the officers, they could have ended their restraint,” Pleoger testified after the prosecution asked him whether Chauvin used excessive force by kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes.

That testimony followed prosecutors playing yet additional video that was previously unseen to the public, prompting a series of emotional breakdowns from witnesses who provided damning testimony against the defendant.

Among the revelations presented in court was Chauvin’s stated justification of kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes — the action that led to the former Minneapolis police officer’s murder charge.

One of the most compelling witnesses to take the stand was 61-year-old Charles McMillian, a community resident who did not know Floyd but carried on a brief conversation with him during the fateful arrest last May 25. McMillian, who was shown on surveillance video as well as bodycam footage from the multiple officers involved, pleaded with Floyd to calm down. As the footage was replayed in court, McMillian broke down crying and needed to take a brief break before his testimony resumed because he said he felt “helpless.”

Another witness, Christopher Martin, was working as a cashier at the Cup Foods store where Floyd is accused of trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill. Martin testified that he carried “guilt” with him because he is the one who notified the store’s manager of the bill before police were notified.

“If I would have just not taken the bill, this could have been avoided,” Martin said.

Martin and McMillian were just the latest witnesses who have played a crucial, yet heartbreaking role for the prosecution in the murder trial. Their testimonies came one day after other eyewitnesses, including first responders and local residents who watched as Floyd took his final breath.

Former MMA fighter Donald Williams previously supplied compelling testimony with a contentious exchange with Chauvin’s attorney.

During the questioning, Nelson attempted to drill down Williams, who thwarted the attempt at every turn. Social media users marveled at the harsh dual reality of Williams’  restraint while reliving the trauma of watching a man die.

Williams was seen emotional on the stand after playback of the 911 call he made reporting that he “witnessed a murder.”

Darnella Frazier, the Minneapolis teen who filmed the chilling footage of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck, recounted her daily trauma in the courtroom.

“There have been nights I stayed up apologizing and apologizing to George Floyd for not doing more and not physically interacting and not saving his life,” she said. “But it’s like not what I should have done, it’s what he (Chauvin) should have done.”

In another emotional moment, Frazier’s nine-year-old cousin took the bench and shared she was disappointed in Chauvin’s response when she saw him kneeling on Floyd.

Darnella Frazier’s 9-year-old cousin testified that Derek Chauvin had to be moved off of George Floyd’s neck by EMTs.

Of seeing this, she said, “I was sad and kind of mad … cause it felt like he was stopping his breathing and kind of like hurting him.”

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) March 30, 2021

And an off-duty firefighter said that she felt obligated to stay around the crime scene after Floyd died in order to protect witnesses from the police.

Still struck by this: Genevieve Hansen, the off-duty firefighter on the scene as George Floyd died, said she stayed on scene after Floyd was taken away bc she worried about the Black people and people of color –like Donald Williams — possibly being hurt by remaining police.

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) March 30, 2021

Day 1 got off to a fast start with the prosecution and defense making their dueling opening arguments, making it apparent the different directions each legal team prefers. The day saw a couple of compelling witnesses as well as one underwhelming one while each side tries to build a case that fits their respective narratives.

For the defense, its plan is clear: To blame Floyd’s death on the drugs they say he was on at the time of his arrest and downplay Chauvin’s involvement, which came in the violent form of a knee applying pressure to the unarmed, handcuffed Black man’s neck as he was pinned facedown on a street. Chauvin’s defense lawyers say he was simply abiding by his training and should not be held accountable for enforcing the law the way he was instructed to.

Here they go blaming yet another Black body for dying. I don’t care if George Floyd was on drugs or had a heart condition. You can take a healthy man and let another man kneel on his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds and he’ll be strangled to death too.

— Stacey Patton (@DrStaceyPatton) March 29, 2021

The prosecution countered those claims by immediately showing the jury the video of Floyd’s arrest, including new footage, seemingly frame by frame to hammer home their stance that Chauvin intentionally killed the man who was only suspected of passing a counterfeit bill, a decidedly nonviolent offense.

Several witnesses were called, including a 911 dispatcher who was able to witness Floyd’s death in real-time from surveillance footage filming across the street from the scene. The dispatcher, Jena Scurry, she said at one point she was concerned that the screen froze — a reference to how long Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck while casually putting his hands in his pockets as onlookers warned of impending death.

Another witness, Alysha Oyler, was working across the street at a gas station when Chauvin and four other Minneapolis cops tried to arrest Floyd. Oyler eventually got closer and recorded the scene on her phone. However, despite her vantage point, Oyler repeatedly said she couldn’t remember specifics and laughed several times awkwardly during moments that were absent of humor. Her testimony didn’t seem to contribute much, if anything, to the prosecution as the defense likely reveled in her court appearance.

Alysha Oyler, the Prosecutions #2 witness who can’t remember where she’s lived in AZ, did no preparation for her testimony other than to paint her nails, affix fake eyelashes, and probably smoke a joint.#DerekChauvin #Alysha #WhiteTrash pic.twitter.com/20PTVRDsma

— Brian WHITE (@BrianWH61287496) March 29, 2021

The final witness of Day 1, however, was widely credited for his testimony that fell in line with the seeming consensus that Chauvin knew what he was doing and wanted to kill Floyd. Donald Williams III, a mixed martial artist who the prosecution established as an expert witness, described the neck restraint employed by Chauvin as deadly. He was one of the people who gathered at the scene outside of the store where the arrest was taking place and verbally warned all of the officers, including Chauvin, that Floyd would die if he didn’t ease up the pressure from his neck. In what seemed like a pivotal moment in the trial even though it was only the first day, Williams said he saw Floyd “slowly fade away.”

Witness says he saw #GeorgeFloyd ‘slowly fade away’ during arrest#DerekChauvin #ChauvinTrial pic.twitter.com/PMibA6vGah

— Ruptly (@Ruptly) March 30, 2021

 

Jury selection for the case was completed last week.

The fate of Chauvin, who was seen on video casually applying what appeared to be deadly pressure to Floyd’s neck for about nine minutes on May 25, now rests in the hands of a 15-person panel that includes three Black men, one Black woman and two women identified as being of “mixed-race.” The other nine jurors, including alternates, are white.

Members of Floyd’s family met with civil rights leaders for a prayer service that included calls for peace during and after the trial.

Rev. Al Sharpton, who was at the vigil at Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Minneapolis, urged people to take a knee, according to the local Fox News affiliate.

‘The criminal justice system is on trial tomorrow. [Derek] Chauvin is in the courtroom, but America is on trial, Reverend Al Sharpton told family and friends of George Floyd gathered for a vigil in Minneapolis on Sunday pic.twitter.com/ghKzpvH5lc

— Reuters (@Reuters) March 29, 2021

“For 8 minutes and 46 seconds, we are going to take a knee in front of the courthouse to show the world how long it took for Chauvin to have his knee on that neck,” Sharpton said. “People didn’t understand how long that was,” he continued. “Until they stood.”

Multiple references to the video of Floyd’s arrest were made during the vigil, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported.

“I have faith that he will get convicted,” Floyd’s brother Philonise said of Chauvin. “Just like everybody who’s seen that video because the video is the proof.

However, yet another video of Chauvin and Floyd will also be relevant in the trial. That other footage came from a separate encounter between the two men in 2019 during a different traffic stop in which Floyd was accused of drug possession. While critics argue that the footage is irrelevant, Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill sided with defense attorneys “that the incident was relevant in that it offers proof of how Floyd’s body responded to drugs he admitted he had taken,” the Washington Post reported.

Philonise Floyd and Attorney Ben Crump join me live from Minneapolis 1 day before the Derek Chauvin trial begins to speak on the continued fight for justice for George Floyd, the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act, and more. https://t.co/NhpKUVk6uU#PoliticsNation pic.twitter.com/fV2OMfLws0

— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) March 28, 2021

Cahill has made multiple rulings that have already affected the case’s trajectory, including previously denying a motion to delay or move the trial.

“Unfortunately, I think the pretrial publicity in this case will continue no matter how long we continue it. Perhaps some of it may, with time, be forgotten by people,” Cahill said at the time. “And as far as change of venue, I do not think that that would give the defendant any kind of a fair trial beyond what we are doing here today.”

That ruling followed Chauvin’s attorneys filing the motion as a result of a $27 million Minneapolis city settlement for George Floyd’s family.

Two jurors were ultimately dismissed over concerns that their impartiality could be tainted by that multi-million dollar settlement. One juror was a white man in his 30s while another was a Hispanic man in his 20s. The dismissal of two jurors is notable but also hints that the perceived fallout over the settlement did not have as large of an effect as thought.

“I don’t think there is any place in the state of Minnesota that has not been subjected to extreme amounts of publicity on this case,” Cahill said for that ruling.

Cahill also reinstated the third-degree murder charges that he previously dismissed against Chauvin. That charge has been added to the second-degree unintentional murder and second-degree manslaughter Chauvin was already facing.

(!) Judge grants prosecution request to add third-degree murder charge against ex-officer Derek Chauvin who is charged in George Floyd’s death.

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) March 11, 2021

The additional charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 25 years in prison and increases the likelihood of a conviction on at least one of the charges.

Cahill’s decision was a reversal from his ruling in October to drop the charges on a legal technicality. For the third-degree murder charges to stick, the law requires that someone cause the death of another person while committing an act inherently dangerous to others. After an appeals court ruled against Cahill’s decision in October, Cahill changed his stance and reinstated the charge.

WATCH LIVE: The Judge explains why he granted the motion to reinstate the third-degree murder charge against #DerekChauvin in the death of #GeorgeFloyd.

WATCH LIVE – MN v. #DerekChauvin on #CourtTV https://t.co/tnYdPcDRMU pic.twitter.com/Hq4B70IEmP

— Court TV (@CourtTV) March 11, 2021

 

Jury selection was initially paused on March 8 to allow Cahill to weigh that additional charge.

BREAKING NEWS: The start of Derek Chauvin’s trial has been delayed until tomorrow morning. Demonstrators are outside the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis to protest police brutality. pic.twitter.com/RMbmYd4C4T

— Amudalat Ajasa (@AmudalatAjasa) March 8, 2021

 

Everybody can agree that justice for Floyd is the primary objective of Chauvin’s murder trial. But whether that justice can actually be achieved is a completely different story — even with the damning evidence of a viral video showing Chauvin, hands in his pockets, almost shrugging while staring indifferently at witnesses warning that he was killing Floyd, and the momentum of a racial reckoning sparked by the death on Memorial Day.

Derek Chauvin. | Source: Handout / Getty

If you’re looking for footage of the killing, you won’t find it here.

But that fateful moment has prompted a wave of protests demanding change to policing in America in order to invest in the Black and brown communities that are disproportionately affected by law enforcement.

Source: KEREM YUCEL / Getty

Earlier this month, the House passed the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act, sweeping legislation that reimagines how police departments operate through accountability and transparency.

Most relevant to Chauvin’s murder trial, the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act aims to hold police accountable in part by collecting data about officers accused of misconduct and worse behavior. Chauvin, who turned 45 on March 19 and has pleaded not guilty, has a history of using brutal neck restraints, other suspects have claimed.

Advocates say Chauvin shouldn’t even have been working as a police officer on Memorial Day considering his violent past. The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office is hoping to introduce these claims as evidence of a pattern of Chauvin’s renegade style of policing that also appeared to kill Floyd.

Adding insult to literal injury, Chauvin has a notable history of being placed on leave for officer-involved shootings and he remains the subject of “a dozen police conduct complaints that resulted in no disciplinary action.” During his 19-year-career, Chauvin was praised for valor by his department, even after shooting a Black man back in 2008 who survived the shooting.

Cahill in October upheld the most serious murder charge against Chauvin in Floyd’s death.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office is prosecuting Derek Chauvin’s murder trial. | Source: Scott Olson / Getty

Chauvin, who began his career with the Minneapolis Police Academy in October 2001, was bailed out in October on a $1 million bond.

Even though three other Minneapolis police officers were assisting Chauvin when Floyd died, Chauvin will face trial alone. Tou ThaoThomas Lane, and J. Alexander Kueng — the other cops with Floyd — will be tried together, apart from Chauvin, in a trial scheduled to begin in August. The three of them stand charged with aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter.

NewsOne will be constantly updating this file as the Derek Chauvin murder trial progresses. Check back for developments and keep reading to find compelling photos, video and other key moments from the trial.

1. Dec. 13

BREAKING | Derek Chauvin is expected to plead guilty to federal civil rights charges for his actions leading to George Floyd’s murder. pic.twitter.com/CzQBDCeeNe

— Black News Channel (@BNCNews) December 13, 2021

It is widely reported that Derek Chauvin will plead guilty in his federal case. 

2. June 25 – Chauvin is sentenced

Derek Chauvin’s longshot request for a new trial was denied ahead of his prison sentencing of 22.5 years. Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill delivered the sentence after members of George Floyd’s family and prosecutors appealed for the convicted murderer to get considerably more prison time than state guidelines advise.

Deciding against adjudicating the two lesser charges that Chauvin was facing, Cahill said the one count of unintentional second-degree murder for which he was sentencing included 10 additional years for aggravating factors, including employing “particular cruelty.”

Arguing that Chauvin’s crime is “more serious than the typical second-degree unintentional murder,” prosecutors asked for Cahill to sentence the former police officer to 360 months, which equals 30 years.

Chauvin, who did not testify at his trial, broke his silence ahead of his sentencing and briefly addressed the court with a statement that offered his “condolences” to the Floyd family before he added cryptically, “There’s gonna be some other information in the future that will be of interest and I hope things will give you some peace of mind.”

3. May 4

BREAKING: Derek Chauvin’s attorney Eric Nelson just filed a motion asking for a new trial on multiple grounds including jury misconduct. @kare11 pic.twitter.com/g03hoDbLe1

— Lou Raguse (@LouRaguse) May 4, 2021

More than a week after Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd, the convicted former Minneapolis police officer filed a motion for a new trial and alleged there was jury misconduct. Chauvin’s lawyer claims the defense was denied the right to a change in venue despite pre-trial publicity that affected the ability to have a fair trial.

The motion was filed on Monday and followed reports that the only juror who has spoken publicly about the trial may have lied during jury selection.

The juror, Brandon Mitchell, made the media rounds last week to discuss his experience serving during the murder trial. But now he’s found himself on the defense following reports that he participated in an anti-police brutality march last summer that was inspired in part by Floyd’s death.

All of that came on the heels of U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announcing the launch of a Justice Department probe into the Minneapolis Police Department.

4. May 3

A Black juror who voted to convict George Floyd’s murderer, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, has come out to defend his decision to attend a social justice demonstration last August.https://t.co/f8WkEMGPJ3 pic.twitter.com/vpCy0XVo73

— NewsOne (@newsone) May 4, 2021

5. April 28

Brandon Mitchell recalled feeling “stress” and “pressure,” but not to deliver a guilty verdict. Instead, he said, it was having to repeatedly see the explicit video footage of George Floyd being killed that took an emotional toll on him. https://t.co/k4iLoBLas5 pic.twitter.com/0OTCU0nmQ2

— NewsOne (@newsone) May 1, 2021

6. April 21

JUST IN: Attorney General Merrick Garland: “The Justice Department has opened a civil investigation to determine whether the Minneapolis Police Department engages in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional or unlawful policing.” https://t.co/Os1KFA0kQP pic.twitter.com/GWlccR1buE

— ABC News (@ABC) April 21, 2021

The investigation echoes similar steps taken after Michael Brown‘s killing in Ferguson, Missouri, after the DOJ declined to charge his accused murderer, Officer Darren Wilson.

Garland’s announcement detailed the lengths of the investigation, which will examine police practices, especially involving excessive use of force, and whether or not the department participates in discriminatory practices, along with probing misconduct allegations.

The DOJ has already launched an investigation into George Floyd‘s murder to determine if his civil rights were violated. It is unclear if the new probe will look at the department prior to Floyd’s death or while the case was ongoing.

7. April 20 – Guilty

Word has spread quickly in downtown Minneapolis that a verdict will be read within the hour. People are starting to walk up to the lawn of the Hennepin County Government Center in small groups. pic.twitter.com/AaMJznfBsA

— Danny Spewak (@DannySpewak) April 20, 2021

On April 20, Chauvin was unanimously found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for killing Floyd. He was immediately handcuffed and remanded to prison from the courtroom following the reading of the verdict.

The jury took about 10 and a half hours to reach a verdict since beginning deliberations following closing arguments from the prosecution and the defense.

Prior to Cahill reading the jury their deliberations instructions, prosecutor Steve Schleicher strategically supplemented his closing remarks with video footage of Floyd’s death that emphasized Chauvin’s refusal to stop kneeling while cavalierly putting his hands in his own pockets. 

“This case is exactly what you thought when you saw it first,” prosecutor Steve Schleicher told the jury, referring to the viral video showing Floyd’s death on Memorial Day last year. “It’s exactly what you saw with your eyes. … It’s what you felt with your gut. It’s what you now know in your heart. This wasn’t policing. This was murder.”

8. April 19

Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell says George Floyd lived 17,026 days with all the health disorders named by the defense but he didn’t die until May 25, 2020, when Derek Chauvin used deadly force. pic.twitter.com/uoNChklm4p

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 19, 2021

The defense and prosecution officially rested their cases after Chauvin spoke for the first time during the trial to officially decline the opportunity to testify in his own defense. That prompted the prosecution to re-examine one of its star witnesses — pulmonologist Dr. Martin Tobin — in an effort to further discredit unproven theories offered up one day earlier by pathologist Dr. David Fowler testifying for the defense about Floyd’s cause of death.

9. April 18


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People raise their fist during a demonstration near the George Floyd Memorial in Minneapolis.

10. April 17


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11. April 16


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Members of the National Guard have been patrolling Minneapolis since the trial began and ahead of the verdict.

12. April 15


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George Floyd’s family joins Ben Crump during a press conference at New Salem Missionary Church in Minneapolis after the prosecution and defense rested their cases. Crump was bringing attention to the recent police shooting of Daunte Wright in the nearby Brooklyn Center. Wright was killed when a police officer claimed she fired her gun by mistake and meant to shoot her Taser instead. Al because of a traffic stop for a nonviolent allegation.

13. April 14

WATCH: Attorney Jerry Blackwell asks defense’s witness Dr. David Fowler: “Do you feel that Mr. Floyd should have been given immediate emergency attention to try to reverse the cardiac arrest?”
Fowler: “As a physician I would agree.” pic.twitter.com/wTKuEPoBqQ

— WCCO – CBS Minnesota (@WCCO) April 14, 2021

14. April 13

Derek Chauvin’s use of force “expert” Barry Brodd claims George Floyd was “not compliant” because he was not “resting comfortably” on the asphalt with three police officers on top of him. pic.twitter.com/nr2OZL0tMx

— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) April 13, 2021

15. April 13

Chauvin defense use-of-force expert Barry Brodd says a “perfectly compliant” suspect would have been “resting comfortably” on pavement during an arrest.

Steve Schleicher, prosecutor: “So attempting to breathe while restrained is being slightly non-compliant?”

Brodd: “No.” pic.twitter.com/lJnntpix3G

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 13, 2021

16. April 13

Shawanda Hill, an associate of George Floyd’s who was sitting in the back seat of the car when he was first approached by officers and arrested, testified on his demeanor before the arrest. https://t.co/9pyYap52MY pic.twitter.com/DA8MyV1Fjj

— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 13, 2021

17. April 13

WATCH: Chauvin defense plays body cam footage from Minneapolis Park Police Officer Peter Chang, who responded to George Floyd’s fatal arrest. Chang testified that the crowd watching the arrest grew “aggressive” and he was concerned for the officers’ safety https://t.co/gtuL83mNPw pic.twitter.com/RVtCsICZAd

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 13, 2021

18. April 12

The state has called George Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, as a “spark of life” witness. This type of testimony is allowed in Minnesota to humanize victims in criminal cases and tell the jury what kind of person they were. pic.twitter.com/cbayWDuZxs

— Danny Spewak (@DannySpewak) April 12, 2021

19. April 12

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT — George Floyd grew up obsessed with basketball and stood out even among his siblings for the way he adored his mother, his younger brother Philonise Floyd testified in the murder trial of former Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin https://t.co/VYKCeFh5K4 pic.twitter.com/GyyJX7g99o

— Reuters (@Reuters) April 13, 2021

20. April 12

University of South Carolina law professor Seth Stoughton testifies officers should not have placed George Floyd in the prone restraint: “He was not a threat of harm to the officers.”

The prone position in policing is used to handcuff someone who is resisting, he explains. pic.twitter.com/oCUPN3VsN1

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 12, 2021

21. April 12

Cardiologist Dr. Jonathan Rich testified in #DerekChauvinTrial. He said he “can state with a high degree of medical certainty” that #GeorgeFloyd did not die from a primary cardiac event or drug overdose. pic.twitter.com/5A5gydrFGY

— CGTN Global Watch (@GlobalWatchCGTN) April 13, 2021

22. April 9

MEDICAL EXAMINER: Dr. Andrew Baker, who performed the autopsy of #GeorgeFloyd, takes the stand in the #DerekChauvinTrial.

WATCH LIVE – MN v. Derek Chauvin https://t.co/bis122QdFc pic.twitter.com/tLghfByU6v

— Court TV (@CourtTV) April 9, 2021

23. April 9

“There’s no evidence to suggest [George Floyd] would have died that night, except for the interactions with law enforcement,”Dr. Lindsey Thomas, a forensic pathologist, testifies during former officer Chauvin’s trial.https://t.co/anMFay8V3Q pic.twitter.com/6ymX8ws3Nf

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 9, 2021

24. April 9

Another major moment in the Derek Chauvin trial.

Hennepin County Medical Examiner Dr. Andrew Baker testifies that fentanyl or heart disease did not cause the subdual or neck restraint that led to George Floyd’s death. pic.twitter.com/apdcNhJyKU

— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) April 9, 2021

25. April 9

Forensic pathologist Dr. Lindsey Thomas testifies that the cause of George Floyd’s death was law enforcement subdual, restraint and compression and the manner of death was homicide. She then dismisses defense counsel’s irrelevant hypotheticals. pic.twitter.com/QLSbvanPjW

— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) April 9, 2021

26. April 8

‘He died because he had no oxygen left in his body’ — Police surgeon Dr. Bill Smock testified that George Floyd died from a lack of oxygen during the Derek Chauvin murder trial pic.twitter.com/VRlFMGVwgQ

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) April 8, 2021

27. April 8

Dr. Bill Smock will be the final witness of the day for the state. He’s the third medical expert to testify today, but he offers specific expertise on “forensic medicine” that applies medicine to criminal law. His biography suggests he has studied policing issues. pic.twitter.com/I0PSJObr8A

— Danny Spewak (@DannySpewak) April 8, 2021

28. April 8

Dr. Tobin, a physician who is a renowned expert on pulmonology testifies that George Floyd died of a low level of oxygen.

The shallow breathing resulted from Floyd being prone on the street and handcuffed, with a knee on his neck and back and an arm at his side, he says pic.twitter.com/3EbiCXXFyV

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 8, 2021

29. April 8

Dr. Tobin says he was able to calculate that George Floyd lost all of his oxygen at 8:25:41 p.m. on May 25, 2020, but Chauvin’s “knee remained on his neck for another three minutes and two seconds after we reach the point where there’s not one ounce of oxygen left in the body.” pic.twitter.com/4JciatNdYe

— Danny Spewak (@DannySpewak) April 8, 2021

30. April 7

LAPD Sgt. Jody Stiger testified he did not find George Floyd posed a threat to officers’ safety when handcuffed on the ground, while the defense questioned him about how a “reasonable police officer” might have responded. https://t.co/wlRD2qQuT5 pic.twitter.com/V0fke8eHk2

— ABC News (@ABC) April 7, 2021

31. April 6

Minneapolis Police Sgt. Ker Yang details crisis intervention training Derek Chauvin received years before George Floyd’s arrest, saying it included reviews of force and deescalation policies: “The ultimate goal in action for someone in crisis is to see if that person needs help” pic.twitter.com/mmuwoQogjd

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 6, 2021

32. April 5

Minneapolis police chief testifies some of ex-officer Derek Chauvin’s actions at the scene of George Floyd’s arrest were not “by policy, not part of our training and it is certainly not part of our ethics or our values.” https://t.co/hQ041CegJ3 pic.twitter.com/9nAMw3yBJQ

— ABC News (@ABC) April 5, 2021

33. April 5

MN V. CHAUVIN: Dr. Bradford Langenfeld took the stand today to describe the care given to #GeorgeFloyd.

Dr. Langenfeld said the chance of a patient’s survival goes down 10 to 15 percent every minute CPR is not performed.

WATCH LIVE – MN v. Derek Chauvin https://t.co/bis122QdFc pic.twitter.com/gRiiz0yWDU

— Court TV (@CourtTV) April 5, 2021

34. April 1

Derek Chauvin’s supervisor David Pleoger was just asked his opinion on when the restraint of George Floyd should have ended:

“When Mr. Floyd was no longer offering up any resistance to the officers, they could have ended their restraint.”

“No further questions.” pic.twitter.com/tMBRAMHwmw

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 1, 2021

35. April 1

Courteney Ross, George Floyd’s former girlfriend, takes the stand on Day 4 of Chauvin trial and recounts the first time she met him.

She was upset while waiting in a lobby. Floyd asked what was wrong and said “Can I pray with you?” pic.twitter.com/YWcAuIfyUY

— The Recount (@therecount) April 1, 2021

36. April 1

Retired Minneapolis Police Sgt. David Pleoger says Derek Chauvin didn’t mention using force or putting a knee on George Floyd in their first conversation after Floyd’s arrest

Pleoger says he believes officers should stop restraining once someone is handcuffed and not resisting pic.twitter.com/fRjQ4VtlpL

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 1, 2021

37. April 1

Courteney Ross, George Floyd’s girlfriend, details how they both dealt with opioid addiction and testifies says that drug use was part of the relationship:

“It was something that we dealt with every day” but “we tried really hard to break that addiction, many times.” pic.twitter.com/4yjz7lzovt

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 1, 2021

38. March 31

Charles McMillian, who tried to speak to George Floyd as officers first tried to put him in a police car and then later as Floyd shouted for his mama while Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck, just broke down on the witness stand.

Court on a break now.pic.twitter.com/otRlBocOuZ

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) March 31, 2021

39. March 31

The teenager who first confronted George Floyd told the court he couldn’t believe what happened after police arrived and immediately regretted flagging the fake $20 bill. Christopher Martin said he felt “disbelief and guilt.”

Watch live coverage: https://t.co/UZ3xJMoP34 pic.twitter.com/rtkV9Mt2Jh

— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 31, 2021

40. March 30

Darnella Frazier’s 9-year-old cousin testified that Derek Chauvin had to be moved off of George Floyd’s neck by EMTs.

Of seeing this, she said, “I was sad and kind of mad … cause it felt like he was stopping his breathing and kind of like hurting him.”

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) March 30, 2021

41. March 30

Powerful testimony from Darnella Frazier, the witness who filmed George Floyd’s killing:

“Nights I’ve stayed up, apologizing and apologizing to George Floyd for not doing more and not physically interacting and not saving his life.”

pic.twitter.com/Pu69sxu7Qo

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) March 30, 2021

42. March 30

In a tense exchange, bystander Donald Williams pushed back when the Derek Chauvin’s attorney asked whether he grew more and more angry with Chauvin during the fatal arrest of George Floyd.
“I stayed in my body. You can’t paint me out to be angry.”https://t.co/Bp9eGQz81O pic.twitter.com/nF6HwTHNTl

— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 30, 2021

43. March 30

Darnella Frazier who filmed death of George Floyd at 17: “There have been nights I stayed up apologizing & apologizing to George Floyd for not doing more & not physically interacting & not saving his life. But it’s like not what I should have done, it’s what he should have done.”

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) March 30, 2021

44. March 29

This testimony is chilling.#DonaldWilliams is the nail in the coffin for the #DerekChauvin defense team. pic.twitter.com/cRBApd5klZ

— AG’s Truth Podcast (@agstruthpodcast) March 29, 2021

45. March 29

I don’t remember- Alysha Oyler
She is definitely not helping the prosecutor in the #DerekChauvin trial pic.twitter.com/icNomVh1vq

— pwguru (@pwguru65) March 29, 2021

46. March 29

“My instincts were telling me something was wrong,” Minneapolis 911 dispatcher testifies at Derek Chauvin trial. 

“I took that instinct and I called the sergeant” who supervises police officers, she adds. https://t.co/Wa8qAc5e5v pic.twitter.com/Qn4WQw9yU6

— ABC News (@ABC) March 29, 2021

47. March 29

Day 1 of the Derek Chauvin trial is finished – and protestors are gathering outside the courthouse in Minneapolis. pic.twitter.com/yD2m2cexRI

— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) March 29, 2021

48. March 28


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Attorney Ben Crump, flanked by Rev. Al Sharpton and the Family of George Floyd, speaks during a press conference demanding justice in the upcoming trial in Minneapolis.

49. March 28


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Demonstrators hold signs honoring George Floyd and other victims of racism and police violence as they gather during a protest outside Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis.

50. March 28


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Police and National Guard troops stand watch outside of the Hennepin County Government Center while activists march past in Minneapolis.

51. March 28


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Plywood covers a building across from the Hennepin County Government Center in preparation for the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis.

52. March 25


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People walk through the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, also known as George Floyd Square, as the sun sets in Minneapolis.

53. March 22 – all jurors selected

The jury in the Derek Chauvin murder trial is now seated. Here’s each member’s self identified race, gender and age information: pic.twitter.com/QqhfG2Ge6p

— Janel Klein (@JanelKlein) March 23, 2021

54. March 19

Judge denies defense motions to delay and move the trial of Derek Chauvin to a different venue due to “pretrial publicity.” pic.twitter.com/tEv8t8ZAdO

— The Recount (@therecount) March 19, 2021

55. March 17

A judge Wednesday dismissed two seated jurors in the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer accused in George Floyd’s death over concerns a $27M settlement the city reached with Floyd’s family would affect their ability to be impartial.https://t.co/JMNgTBUWt4 via @nbcnews

— Janelle Fiona Griffith (@janellefiona) March 17, 2021

56. March 15

Ex-officer Derek Chauvin’s defense team requests a delay in his trial due to news of the city’s $27 million settlement with George Floyd’s family https://t.co/l1BQt8OXxr

— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) March 15, 2021

57. March 11

Judge Peter Cahill has reinstated the third-degree murder charge against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin over the killing of George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/Fud7V9VRhR

— The Recount (@therecount) March 11, 2021

Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill reinstates the third-degree murder charges he previously dropped. The addition increases the likelihood of a conviction.

58. March 8


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Bridgett Floyd (L), the sister of George Floyd, looks on as Jacari Harris, executive director of the George Floyd Foundation, speaks during a press conference outside the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis.

59. March 8


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People march during a demonstration in honor of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

60. March 8


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People gather in a Manhattan park to protest on the first day of the trial for the killing of George Floyd, in New York City.

61. March 8


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Demonstrators hold a vigil in honor of George Floyd in Atlanta.

62. March 7


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Demonstrators kneel at an intersection as the names of people killed by police are listed off during a march in honor of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

63. March 7


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A law enforcement officer stands with members of the National Guard outside the Hennepin County Government Center surrounded by fencing in Minneapolis.

64. March 7


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St. Paul Public Schools Board Member Chauntyll Allen speaks to the crowd after they returned to the Hennepin County Government Center during a silent march in memory of George Floyd a day before jury selection for the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin begins in Minneapolis.

65. March 7


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Protesters march through the city during a silent march in memory of George Floyd a day before jury selection for the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin begins in Minneapolis.

66. March 7


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Protesters carry a fake casket during a silent march in memory of George Floyd a day before jury selection for the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin begins in Minneapolis.

67. March 7


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A demonstrator carries a rifle during the “I Cant Breathe – Silent March for Justice” protest in front of the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis.

68. March 7


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Demonstrators participate in the “I Cant Breathe – Silent March for Justice” protest in front of the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis.

69. March 6


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People visit George Floyd Square, the memorial created around the site where he was killed in Minneapolis.

70. March 6


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Gianna Floyd, daughter of George Floyd, stands next to a podium during a news conference in downtown Houston.

71. March 6


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LaTonya Floyd, sister of George Floyd, wipes tears from her eyes after speaking at a news conference in downtown Houston.

72. March 6


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Chaz Neal, a Redwing community activist, holds a sign with George Floyd’s picture on it outside the Minnesota Governor’s residence during a protest in St.Paul, Minnesota.

73. March 3


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Workers install security fencing at the Hennepin County Government Headquarters in Minneapolis. Security measures are being increased and more police and National Guard soldiers are expected in downtown Minneapolis before jury selection begins at former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin’s murder trial in the death of George Floyd.