Judge Makes Several Major Rulings in George Floyd Case
Judge Peter Cahill issued a 51-page ruling Thursday morning, saying the trial for Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, J Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane will be held jointly in Hennepin County. This ruling is preliminary, and future arguments could still change that. Stearns County was on the shortlist of potential trial venues if the judge decided to move it. <snip>
Cahill also said the trial would be televised. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing will be observed in the courtroom, leaving little space for family, friends, and the media to observe. Minnesota law does not allow for cameras to automatically be allowed into courtrooms. Attorneys must petition the court for audio and video recordings to be made public. The four former officers asked for cameras in the courtroom, and defense attorneys argued it would add to transparency, but prosecutors, including Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, argued against it. The prosecution said cameras could change how evidence is presented, intimidate witnesses, and would "create more problems than they will solve."
There are strict rules in place for camera access. Jurors will not be shown, and any witness under 18 cannot be shown on video, but audio is allowed. Members of George Floyd's family will also not be shown unless they consent to it. Zooming in on tables, attorneys or defendants is also not allowed, and microphones will not be permitted at counsel tables. <snip>
(Minneapolis, MN) - A Hennepin County judge has made some major rulings in the case against four former Minneapolis police officers accused of killing George Floyd.
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