Vox Sentences - The trial of Derek Chauvin

Derek Chauvin is on trial for the killing of George Floyd; a WHO report finds that humans first contracted Covid-19 through animals.

Tonight's Sentences was written by Benjamin Rosenberg.

• Just over 10 months after the killing of George Floyd, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with his murder, Derek Chauvin, is on trial starting Monday. Chauvin is facing charges of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. [CBS News / Erin Donaghue]
• Floyd, a Black man, died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin, who is white, pinned him by the neck with his knee for more than nine minutes. The video was shared widely and sparked renewed outrage and mass protests against racial injustice around the world. [USA Today]
• The jury selection process was highly scrutinized, and of the 12 selected jurors and three alternates, nine are white, four are Black, and two are multiracial. Nine of the 15 are women, and seven are under the age of 40. [Washington Post / Mark Berman and Holly Bailey]
• Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, will argue that his client’s knee on Floyd’s neck did not cause Floyd’s death. He also said during the selection process that the trial is “not about race.” The prosecutors will have to prove that Floyd died due to Chauvin’s actions. [Vox / Rachel Ramirez]
• Ben Crump, a well-known civil rights lawyer who is representing Floyd's family, said Chauvin’s defense team will try to bring attention to Floyd’s record and away from Chauvin’s. Chauvin had a history of using excessive force while employed in law enforcement. [NBC News / Janelle Griffith]
• Three other former Minneapolis police officers, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao, were charged with aiding and abetting Chauvin in conjunction with Floyd’s death. Chauvin’s trial is likely to influence theirs, scheduled for August. [Washington Post / Holly Bailey and Kim Bellware]