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U.S. NewS Diabierna 19 Maart 2021
10th juror picked, lawyers clash over expert in Floyd trial

and on defense motions for At one point, Cahill told her:
delaying or moving the trial. “You can’t be an expert wit-
Progress in jury selection ness in the jury room.”
comes after the judge on She said she could refrain
Wednesday dismissed two of from relying on her own
seven jurors who were seated knowledge.
before news of the city’s $27 Three potential jurors ques-
million settlement broke last tioned early Thursday were
week. Cahill re-questioned excused, including one who
them to see if the massive set- said she had been constantly
tlement affected their ability exposed to news of Floyd’s
to be fair and impartial. death and that the announce-
City leaders have taken sharp ment of the city’s settlement
criticism for the timing of the pushed her to favor the state’s
settlement. City Attorney Jim position.
Rowader said Thursday that Prosecutors used one of their
the city agreed to the settle- peremptory strikes to dismiss
ment because there was no another, a mother of five
guarantee the offer would adult children who said she
still be available later. respects police officers, was
bothered by prior allegations
“In general, there is no good against Floyd and believes the
timing to settle any case, media exaggerates discrimi-
particularly one as complex nation.
(AP) — Attorneys at the son’s anxiety or panic during ecution gets to present that and involved and sensitive The third potential juror was
trial of a former Minneap- a traumatic event. Officers evidence to the jury, the de- as this,” City Attorney Jim dismissed because she is ac-
olis police officer charged who confronted Floyd after fense should be able to tell Rowader said, according to quainted with someone who
in George Floyd’s death he allegedly tried to pass a the jury about Floyd’s drug the Minneapolis Star Tri- will be a central witness in
moved closer to seating a counterfeit $20 bill at a con- arrest a year earlier, when he bune. the state’s case and will talk
jury Thursday, choosing a venience store pointed a gun did not resist getting put into Of the 10 seated jurors, five about sensitive material.
10th juror just hours after at him, and he struggled and a squad car. are men and five are women. Cahill has set March 29 for
clashing over how much told them he had claustro- Nelson also has said there are According to the court, five opening statements if the
the panel should hear of phobia as they tried to force striking similarities between are white, two are multiracial jury is complete by then.
Floyd’s own actions. him into the car. the two encounters that could and three are Black, and their
Prosecutors want to show show a pattern of behavior: ages range from 20s to 50s. Chauvin is charged with
The latest juror, a white that Floyd might have been Both times, as officers drew Fourteen jurors, including murder and manslaughter in
woman in her 50s, is a reg- unable to comply with the their guns and struggled with two alternates, are needed. the May 25 death of Floyd, a
istered nurse. She was added officers’ orders, and wasn’t Floyd, he called out for his The juror selected on Thurs- Black man who was declared
after reassuring lawyers and actually resisting arrest — mother, claimed he had been day underwent extensive dead after Chauvin, who
the judge that she could re- something Blackwell said he shot before and cried, and questioning from attorneys is white, pressed his knee
frain from using her own was certain that Chauvin’s at- put what appeared to be pills and from Cahill about her against his neck for about
medical knowledge to add to torney Eric Nelson intended in his mouth. Drugs were experience as a nurse, wheth- nine minutes. Floyd’s death,
evidence presented in court to do. found during the first arrest, er she has ever resuscitated captured on bystander video,
at Derek Chauvin’s trial. “The defense is doing a full- and an autopsy showed Floyd anyone and how she would set off weeks of sometimes-
Earlier, prosecutor Jerry on trial of George Floyd, who had drugs in his system when view medical evidence in the violent protests across the
Blackwell argued that a fo- is not on trial, but that is what he died. case. country and led to a national
rensic psychiatrist should they’re doing,” said Black- Hennepin County Judge Pe- The woman said she would reckoning on racial justice.
be allowed to testify how well, adding that the defense ter Cahill said he’ll rule on draw upon her knowledge to Three other former officers
Floyd’s behavior as officers also planned to make argu- Vinson’s testimony on Fri- evaluate medical testimony face an August trial in Floyd’s
attempted to put him into ments about Floyd’s drug day, when he plans to issue a and recognizes the amount of death on charges of aiding
the squad car was consistent use. broader ruling on the admis- time a person can be without and abetting second-degree
with any reasonable per- Nelson said that if the pros- sibility of Floyd’s 2019 arrest air before going unconscious. murder and manslaughter.
Stone tablet marking First Amendment freedoms finds new home

(AP) — A four-story, 50- The tablet is engraved with
ton marble tablet en- the First Amendment, which
graved with the text of the protects freedom of speech,
First Amendment, previ- press, religion, assembly and
ously displayed on the fa- the right to petition the gov-
cade of the now-shuttered ernment. It’s a gift from the
Newseum in Washington, Freedom Forum, the cre-
will find a new home in ator of the Newseum, a mu-
Philadelphia across from seum dedicated to the First
Independence Hall. Amendment. It was sold to
Johns Hopkins University
The National Constitution and closed in 2019.
Center, which sits in an area “It’s so meaningful to bring
of the city billed as America’s the text of the First Amend-
most historic square mile, ment to Philadelphia,” Na-
will erect the tablet in an tional Constitution Center
atrium overlooking Indepen- President Jeffrey Rosen said
dence Hall, the UNESCO in a statement. He said it
World Heritage Site where would “inspire visitors for
both the Declaration of Inde- generations to come.”
pendence and the U.S. Con- A dedication ceremony is
stitution were adopted. The district is also home to the Liberty Bell and the First Bank of the United States. planned for later this year.