When will there be a verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial?
MINNEAPOLIS officer Derek Chauvin will soon meet his fate on trial regarding the death of George Floyd.
The former cop faces second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges over Floyd’s death.
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Derek Chauvin faces second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges over George Floyd’s death[/caption]When will there be a verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial?
Jurors will soon decide if former police officer Derek Chauvin, 45, will face charges over George Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020.
Closing arguments for the trial have already begun as of Monday, April 19, 2021, after the defense called on over 30 witnesses to take the stand during the first two weeks.
The final step of the process will be jury deliberation after closing arguments end which may come by the end of the week.
The jury will be sequestered, or isolated, until a final decision is reached regarding the fate of Chauvin’s charges.
Chauvin’s trial is coming to a close as the jury gets ready to deliberate[/caption]There are 12 jury members and two alternates involved in the trial.
All three of the charges Chauvin is facing are separate, meaning he could be found guilty of all, some, or none of them.
Did Derek Chauvin testify at his trial?
Chauvin spoke for the first time at the trial on Thursday, April 15, 2021 to say he was not going to testify and invoked his Fifth Amendment right.
“Is this your decision not to testify?” Judge Peter Cahill asked Chauvin.
“It is, your honor,” Chauvin told the judge.
Chauvin told the judge he was not going to testify and invoked his Fifth Amendment right[/caption]Floyd’s brother Philonise Floyd told the Star Tribune that he expected Chauvin not to testify, saying: “… He won’t be able to handle what’s thrown at him, because how can you explain that you had your knee on a man’s neck for nine minutes? How can you explain that? There’s no way to explain. You can’t,” he said.
“So it will be a good thing [if he testifies], but I know that’s not going to happen.”
What did the prosecution say about Derek Chauvin in the closing arguments?
Prosecuting attorney Steve Schleicher gave his closing arguments on the trial and asked the jury to look at the never before seen images of Floyd’s injuries.
He urged them to ask themselves one question before delivering a verdict against Chauvin: If not for the cop’s restraint, would Floyd have died last May?
Schleicher told jurors on the morning of April 19 that policing is about “wearing your badge over your heart”, but said Chauvin’s “badge wasn’t in the right place” during Floyd’s arrest.
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“He had to know,” Schleicher said, emphasizing that Chauvin had knelt down on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds, even as Floyd begged for his life.
“He did it on purpose. This was not an accident,” he said. “He knew better. He just didn’t do better.
“He betrayed the badge and everything it stood for. It’s not how they’re trained. It’s not following the rules.”