The murder case against ex-cop Derek Chauvin in George Floyd’s death hit a new issue Wednesday when a Minneapolis judge was forced to fire two jurors who had already served in the high-profile case.
Hennepin District Judge Peter Cahill questioned the seven jurors who had sat before news of a $ 27 million civil death penalty settlement brought by Floyd’s family – and found that two of the panelists could no longer be impartial .
“It will have a major impact on it,” a judge, identified as Juror 36, told Cahill Wednesday morning.
“So the last time I was asked my strong opinion about Chauvin,” he told the judge. “Obviously, the city of Minneapolis also has some strong opinions. And this confirms my opinion that I already had. “
The second judge, Juror 20, admitted that the amount of the settlement “shocked me” and “affected me a little bit.”
Only two of the seven said they had not heard of the settlement, and three others said they were aware of it, but that it had not changed their opinion of the matter.
But the development poses a new hurdle to the trial, where attorneys are struggling to place jurors on the case.
Two other jurors had been sitting since word of the civil settlement was broken, for a total of nine on the panel. But the removal of two of them on Wednesday now reduces the total number of panelists to seven.
Chauvin’s attorney Eric Nelson argued that news of the hefty payout had tainted the jury pool – saying the town’s settlement suggests the ex-cop is guilty of the charges.
“You let the city settle a civil suit for a record amount, and the publicity ahead of the trial is just as concerning,” Nelson told the judge on Tuesday. “I’m looking at the fact that essentially we still need three sitting judges plus two alternates.”
Cahill called the news of the settlement “unfortunate,” but noted that it was “not a legal decision. That is a political decision.”
Cahill also expressed concern on Tuesday that future jurors would receive reports that Chauvin was about to make a guilty plea last month.
According to reports, until then, Chauvin was willing to plead guilty to a third-degree murder charge – US Attorney General William Barr blocked the deal, USA Today said.
The jury selection – and subsequent trial – is kept under strict security, given the divisive and highly volatile nature of the case.
On Tuesday, Cahill scolded media reports of security measures on the 18th floor of the courthouse before the trial and threatened to remove cameras from the courtroom if those reports are not removed.
The judge did not mention specific news reports or media channels.
“If you don’t, you may also be thrown from the media center,” the judge said at the start of Wednesday’s proceedings.
Cahill is also expected to rule on two defense motions this week – to postpone the trial or move it to another city due to the amount of publicity surrounding the case.
Chauvin can be seen in a viral video pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for nearly 9 minutes at an intersection in Minneapolis on May 25. The incident sparked worldwide protests over police brutality and racial injustice.
The jury selection continues Wednesday, with lawyers now requiring five more jurors and two alternates to represent a jury for the trial, which opens March 29.
