A verdict has been reached by the jury in Derek Chauvin’s case, where he’s accused of murdering George Floyd:
NY POST – The jury in the murder trial of ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd has reached a verdict, officials said Tuesday.
The 12-member panel is due to announce its decision shortly after the court reconvenes.
Jurors deliberated for more than 10 hours over two days before reaching a verdict in the high-profile and closely watched case stemming from Floyd’s May 25, 2020 death — which kicked off worldwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice.
Chauvin, 45, was charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The murder charges each carry 10 3/4 years to 15 years behind bars, while manslaughter carries 41 to 57 months.
Forty-five witnesses were called to the stand over nearly three weeks of testimony in Hennepin County District Court — 38 of them brought to the stand by state prosecutors.
The four-member prosecution team, led by Assistant State Attorney General Matthew Frank, focused repeatedly on viral video footage of Floyd’s death, which included Chauvin pressing his knee on the man’s neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds.
Prosecutors contend that Floyd died of asphyxiation as a result of the restraint, with Chauvin seen keeping his knee on his neck even after paramedics arrived at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue and found Floyd had no pulse.
But Chauvin lawyer Eric Nelson hinged his case on three assertions: that Floyd died due to drug use and a heart ailment; that an unruly crowd of bystanders posed a threat and distracted the cop and that Chauvin followed his training in using the restraint.
The two sides presented contradicting testimony from medical experts on Floyd’s cause of death and the results of his autopsy — which was ruled a homicide by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner.
The verdict will be read between 4:30 – 5pm ET:
DEVELOPING: A verdict has been reached in the Derek Chauvin trial over the death of George Floyd. It will be read in court between 4:30pm – 5pm our time.
— Anthony Austin (@AnthonyReports) April 20, 2021
You can watch the verdict being read here via Fox 10. The court is currently in recess but should reconvene at 4:30 or so: