A jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all charges related to the death of George Floyd after a 15-day trial. Here's a timeline of the case's key events, from George Floyd's death on May 25, 2020, to mass protests, Derek Chauvin's arrest, conviction, and final verdicts: guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.
May 2020: George Floyd's death sparked nationwide protests
According to the LA Times, Minneapolis police officers responded to a call about a potential counterfeit $20 bill being used at a corner grocery just after 8 p.m. on May 25, 2020. They went to arrest a Black man later known as George Floyd. He fought and ended up handcuffed and facedown on the ground. Derek Chauvin pinned Floyd's neck with his knee on the ground for nine minutes as onlookers yelled at him to let go.
Floyd can be heard calling out, "I can't breathe," several times before collapsing. At a hospital, he was pronounced dead.
According to police, Floyd died following a "medical incident." They claimed that he violently refused arrest and claimed to be in medical distress. Bystander footage was uploaded online minutes later. The FBI will assist with the investigation, said the police. Chauvin was fired, and three other officers, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Kueng. Protests started.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey wanted Derek Chauvin charged with a crime. Unrest erupted in Minneapolis due to the protests, with some protesters breaking into homes and setting fires. Protests erupted in other cities as well. Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota sent the Minnesota National Guard. Protesters overtook and set fire to the 3rd Precinct station, forcing police to leave the place.
Chauvin was arrested and charged with manslaughter and third-degree murder. Then-President Trump tweeted about "thugs" in Minneapolis protests, warning, "As the looting begins, the shooting begins." Protests in Minneapolis and elsewhere turned aggressive once more. State Attorney General Keith Ellison investigated Floyd's death, Walz said.
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June 2020: The investigation of George Floyd's death
The county medical examiner said Floyd's heart stopped when police restrained him and squeezed his throat, who also noted that Floyd had underlying health problems and listed fentanyl and methamphetamine use as "other serious conditions." The Minneapolis Police Department was the subject of a civil rights complaint by Minnesota's Department of Human Rights.
Ellison charged Chauvin with second-degree murder, and the other three officers were charged in Floyd's arrest. Minneapolis then banned police chokeholds, the first of several reforms expected in the coming months, including revamping the department's use-of-force policies. Massive, peaceful marches took place throughout the country to urge police reform. Floyd's services were held in Raeford, North Carolina, near his birthplace.
The majority of members of the Minneapolis City Council were in favor of reforming the police department. The plan eventually faded out, but it does ignite a national conversation about police reform. Thousands of people paid their respects to George Floyd in Houston, where he was born and raised. The next day, he was laid to rest.
Floyd's brother testified about police transparency before the House Judiciary Committee. Trump passed an executive order encouraging better policing procedures and creating a database to monitor officers who have been accused of using unnecessary force.
Floyd's family filed a lawsuit against Minneapolis and the four former police. The Minnesota Legislature passed a slew of police reform bills, including bans on neck restraints, chokeholds, and so-called warrior-style training.
Derek Chauvin Trial: Jury Returns a Guilty Verdict but Ex-Cop Still Eligible To Keep His Pension
August 2020-April 2021: Derek Chauvin's arrest, conviction, and trial
Judge Peter Cahill upheld the media coalition's challenge to a court injunction barring the public from watching the body camera footage. Both the prosecutor and defense argued a series of motions before the court during the hearing, as per KSTP.
Meanwhile, Derek Chauvin was released from state prison after posting a $1 million bond, igniting further demonstrations. Protection demands to move the officers' trials were denied by Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill.
On January 12, Chauvin was prosecuted alone due to courtroom space issues. The remaining officers would stand trial in August. City officials announced that the George Floyd Square, which has been closed to traffic following Floyd's death due to barricades, will reopen after Chauvin's trial.
After waiting for pretrial motions, the first possible jurors for Derek Chauvin's trial were questioned. Minneapolis agreed to pay the Floyd family a $27 million settlement in March.
The judge refused to postpone or reschedule the appeal, citing fears that the settlement would taint the jury pool. The jury selection process was concluded with the selection of 12 jurors and three alternates.
On April 11, a 20-year-old Black man named Daunte Wright was fatally shot by a white police officer during a traffic arrest in Brooklyn Center, a Minneapolis suburb, sparking days of protests. Because of the Wright shooting, the judge refused to sequester the Chauvin jury.
Judge Peter Cahill refused a motion to sequester the court after Daunte Wright's death during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, stating that it is a separate matter. Cahill noted that the jury would not be separated until the conclusion of the case.
After Chauvin told the judge that he would not testify, the prosecution case ended, his COVID-19 mask removed in a rare courtroom moment. Chauvin's side of the story has been told for the first time in public.
The trial's attorneys delivered their closing arguments, preparing the jurors for deliberation. The jurors who waited silently behind closed doors for three weeks of testimony stepped into the spotlight on Tuesday, still out of sight but now in charge of the verdicts. Derek Chauvin was convicted of second-degree and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter by a jury in the Derek Chauvin trial, as per Twin Cities.
Daunte Wright, George Floyd Come From Same Minneapolis Area, Have Lots in Common
