A judge on Wednesday, March 17 dismissed two jurors, who had been seated for the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer accused in George Floyd’s death, over concerns they had been tainted by the city’s announcement of a $27 million settlement with Floyd’s family according to CBS News. Eric Nelson, the defense attorney for Derek Chauvin called the timing of the announcement in the middle of jury selection “profoundly disturbing” and “not fair.”
The dismissal of only two jurors suggested the impact of the settlement on the jury pool was less than feared, likely reducing the chance of Cahill granting a defense request to delay the trial.
Cahill was careful to ask jurors if they had heard the news of the settlement without giving details, saying only that there had been “extensive media coverage about developments in a civil suit between the city of Minneapolis and the family of George Floyd” and asking if they were exposed to it.
The first dismissed juror was a white man in his 30’s. He said he that had heard about the settlement saying “I think it will be hard to be impartial….That sticker prince obviously shocked me.”
After the two dismissals, seven jurors remain. Fourteen (14) are needed with opening statements tentatively expected March 29th.
Late on Wednesday, March 17, an eighth juror was added. Juror #79, a black immigrant, says he does not support defunding the police.
