End in Sight for George Floyd’s Suspected Death Trial

The controversial trial of the suspect in the murder of the black American death George Floyd is coming to an end.

 

The closing arguments will be held on Monday, after which the jury may rule on whether the fired agent Derek Chauvin is guilty. They then withdraw to confer behind closed doors.

Floyd’s death caused significant unrest in the United States and other countries last year. Chauvin and his colleagues had him arrested for allegedly paying with a counterfeit $ 20 banknote. The policeman knelt in front of the camera for about nine minutes on the neck of Floyd, who repeatedly said he could not breathe and eventually died.

Jurors heard 45 witnesses in recent weeks. This included relatives of Floyd and medical experts who made contradictory statements about the cause of death. It was also about whether Chauvin followed the correct procedure during the arrest. The suspect did not want to testify himself and invoked his right to remain silent.

Chauvin is suspected of multiple offences and faces decades of imprisonment. Prosecutors blame him for going too far in Floyd’s arrest. The defence stated, among other things, a medical expert. He argued that heart complaints and drug use contributed to the death of the detainee.

The prosecutor will first speak on Monday and then have one last chance to convince the jury that Chauvin has acted culpably. After that, the former policeman’s lawyer may address the jurors. It is still unclear when a judgment can be expected. The jury must reach a unanimous verdict on the charges.