George Floyd Trial: Possible jurors are asked to weigh in on Black Lives Matter protests

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The 16-page questionnaire, filed Tuesday in Minnesota District Court, asks potential jurors to answer how many times they’ve seen the video of Floyd’s death, his previous interactions with police, and his views on police and racial discrimination.

“Did you, or anyone close to you, take part in any of the demonstrations or marches against police brutality that took place in Minneapolis after the death of George Floyd?” a question is asked. “If you participated, did you carry a sign? What did it say?”

The questionnaire arrives three months before the criminal trial for four former Minneapolis police officers accused of contributing to Floyd’s death.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died May 25 after a meeting with Minneapolis police in which former officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly eight minutes while Floyd asked for air. Floyd’s last moments were captured on video and his death sparked riots and arson in the city, as well as widespread protests against police brutality and racism.
Chauvin is charged with second-degree manslaughter and second-degree homicide. Three other ex-officers involved in the incident – Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao – are accused of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and of assisting and inciting second-degree murder.
The four former officers will be tried together in Hennepin County, Judge Peter Cahill ruled last month.

Questionnaire asks for opinions on “Blue Lives Matter”

George Floyd died on May 25, 2020 at the age of 46. The criminal trial of the alleged perpetrators will begin in March 2021.

In general, jury questionnaires are used to obtain information about possible juries and to help prosecutors and defense attorneys understand more about the people who may be on the court. After completing a questionnaire, jurors can be questioned in court in more detail in a process known as see dire.

In this case, the questionnaire is divided into 6 parts, and the first section asks about his knowledge and opinions about Floyd, the agents accused of his death, and subsequent protests.

“Did you or anyone you know get hurt or suffer any material damage during the protests that took place after George Floyd’s death?” a question is asked.

Judge orders trial for four former police officers charged with the murder of George Floyd, who keeps the case in Minneapolis

“Do you think your community has been negatively or positively affected by any of the protests that have taken place in the Twin Cities area since the death of George Floyd?” another question is asked.

The second part of the questionnaire asks people about their media habits. The third part asks people about their previous interactions with the police, either as a victim or as an arrested person. This section includes questions about “Black life matters,” “Blue life matters,” and other contacts with the police.

“Someone close or have you ever helped support or advocated for or against police reform? If ‘Yes,’ explain,” says one question.

This section also asks people to respond on a variable scale between “strongly agree” and “strongly disagree” in statements such as “Discrimination is not as bad as the media does” and “I support funding of the Minneapolis Police Department “. “

The rest of the questionnaire is about personal history, opinions about the judiciary in general, and the ability to participate in the trial.

The document indicates that jury selection is expected to begin on March 8 and run until March 26. The trial is expected to begin on March 29 and last about 3-4 weeks, according to the document. According to the questionnaire, the jury will be kidnapped during the deliberations and “possibly during a part of the trial” during the night in a hotel.

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