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MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd is scheduled to begin Monday, March 8 at 8 a.m. Central Time in Courtroom 1856 of the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis.
The Derek Chauvin trial will be live streamed, gavel to gavel, at fox9.com/live.
Scheduled length of Chauvin trial
The trial will begin with jury selection, which is scheduled for three weeks. During jury selection, until all the preliminary motions are heard by Judge Peter Cahill, court will start at 8 a.m. with a hearing on preliminary motions, before moving on to jury selection at 9 a.m. The trial proceedings that begin on Monday, March 29 are anticipated to take two to four weeks.
Daily schedule, all times Central
During jury selection, until all the preliminary motions are heard by Judge Cahill, court will start at 8 a.m. with a hearing on preliminary motions, before moving on to jury selection at 9 a.m. Opening statements and the remainder of the trial will follow the schedule below:
8 a.m. Legal issues
9:15 a.m. Jury arrives
9:30 a.m. Trial session
10:40 a.m. Break
11 a.m. Trial session
12:30 p.m. Lunch break
1:30 p.m. Trial session
3 p.m. Break
3:20 p.m. Trial session
4:30 p.m. Adjourn for the day, or extended trial session
5 p.m. Adjourn for the day or break for evening session if jury sequestered
6 p.m. Trial session if jury sequestered
7:30 p.m. Adjourn for the day
There is no plan to hold trial on weekends.
Courtroom restrictions
Courtroom 1856 was renovated specifically for the Derek Chauvin trial to maximize capacity and maintain COVID-19 social distancing standards. Judge Cahill has ordered certain behavior in the courtroom:
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First look at the courtroom where Derek Chauvin will go on trial for murder
A first look at the courtroom built on the 18th floor of Hennepin County Government Center where former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin will go on trial for the murder of George Floyd.
Jurors, attorneys, witnesses and support staff must wear masks and keep six feet from other people.
Masks can be removed when giving testimony, examining witnesses, giving opening statements or closing arguments. Attorneys must conduct all witness examinations and argument from the lectern.
Any sidebar conferences will be conducted over wireless headsets. Chauvin will be outfitted with a headset to listen to these conferences, which will be off-the-record.
Jurors and potential jurors will be escorted to courtroom each day by deputies or security. No one can have contact with jurors except the judge, court personnel and deputies. Any attorney contact is limited to the jury selection process when court is in session.
Potential jurors will only be referred to by a randomized number.
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George Floyd’s family only allowed 1 member in courtroom during Chauvin trial, judge rules
The families of both George Floyd and Derek Chauvin will only get one seat each in the courtroom for the murder trial, a Hennepin County Judge ruled this week.
Derek Chauvin charges
Chauvin is standing trial on charges of second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the May 25, 2020 death of George Floyd. Former Minneapolis police officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane are each charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. All four officers were fired the day after Floyd’s death.
Thao, Kueng and Lane will be tried together on August 23.