The panel has been selected for the killing case of George Floyd. Former US Police officer Derek Chauvin is accused of killing him.
The opening statements are due to begin in Minneapolis next week. The George Floyd case is described as one of the most important ones in the nation’s history.
Fourteen jury members will hear the trial procedures, of which 12
are deliberate and two substitutes. Along with it, a 15th juror selected as an insurance policy and is assumed to be removed when it starts.
Chauvin, a white former US police officer, is from Minneapolis county and is up for trial regarding Floyd’s death.
George Floyd was killed last year in May. He was from the coloured community and was filmed with Mr Derek’s knee on his neck. Chauvin had his knee there for eight minutes while George’s was handcuffed and was pleading that he couldn’t breathe.
The video was shared globally and had sparked months of protests relating to racial inequity and police brutality.
Hence, selecting an impartial jury for such a widely known case was fated to be a long process.
Latent jurors were pre-screened with a thorough questionnaire asking their views on policing and campaign Black Lives Matter. Also, if they’d ever attended any protest, then how many time they had viewed the video of defendant Mr Floyd.
The diverse jury for George Floyd’s case
Also, a concern that in the city where 80% of the population is white, the jury would be too white or too pro-police. Thus, the jury selected is more diverse than thought.
Of the 14 jurors to be seated on Monday, five are men and nine are women. Moreover, there is one black woman and three black men. Adding two multicultural women, two white men, and six white women will see through the case.
The spare or the 15th juror is a white man. Additionally, they range in their age from 20s to 60s.
Derek is charged with second-degree erratic murder, second-degree manslaughter, and third-degree murder.
