Source: Bloomberg / Getty
The jury has reached a verdict in the trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged in the death of George Floyd.
The verdict is expected to be read between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET.
The primary jurors, consisting of seven women and five men, took less than 24 hours to reach a decision after hearing three week of testimony. Chauvin invoked his Fifth Amendment right and rejected a chance to take the stand in the trial.
The 45-year-old ex-cop is charged with second-and third-degree murder, along with second-degree manslaughter. Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes as he was handcuffed and lying on the ground motionless.
Prosecutors argued that Chauvin’s actions caused Floyd to die from a “lack of oxygen, or asphyxia.” However, the defense tried to paint Floyd as a “drug addict” with a pre-existing heart condition who died while under stress in police custody.
About 2,000 National Guard members are standing by in downtown Minneapolis expecting riots to follow the verdict’s announcement. Minneapolis schools started canceling in-person classes earlier this week in anticipation of the potentially volatile situation.
If convicted on all three counts, Chauvin faces a maximum sentence of 75 years in prison. He waived his right to have the jury decide his sentence, so the judge will make the decision over the next two weeks.
Jury reaches a verdict in Derek Chauvin murder trial was originally published on wbt.com
