Judge rejects moving trial of ex-officers in Floyd's death
Source: AP
By STEVE KARNOWSKI and AMY FORLITI
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A judge on Thursday rejected defense requests to move the trial of four former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death, and also ordered that all four will be tried together instead of separately.
Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill ruled after defense attorneys had argued that pretrial publicity had made it impossible for the four men to get a fair trial in Minneapolis. They had also cited a Sept. 11 hearing in which the men and their attorneys were confronted by angry protesters outside the courthouse, saying it showed that holding the proceeding in the same area where Floyd died would be unsafe for participants. Defense lawyers had argued that witnesses could be intimidated, and jurors could be affected by chants from a crowd outside.
But Cahill said he was unpersuaded at the moment that moving the trial would improve security, and that he believes the jury can be protected from outside influences.
“No corner of the State of Minnesota has been shielded from pretrial publicity regarding the death of George Floyd. Because of that pervasive media coverage, a chance of venue is unlikely to cure the taint of potential prejudicial pretrial publicity,” he wrote.
FILE - This combination of file photos provided by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota on June 3, 2020, shows, top row from left, Derek Chauvin, and J. Alexander Kueng, bottom row from left, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. A judge on Thursday, Nov. 5 declined defense requests to move the trial of the four Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd's death, and also ruled that all four would be tried in a single proceeding. (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/trials-minneapolis-racial-injustice-4d4818f4287300ed0cb28b0e36e2b2dd
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