In the city's first municipal election since the murder of George Floyd, activists and organizers are on ballot and so is the future of the police department.
USA TODAY
National columnist Suzette Hackney is in Minneapolis for the trial of Derek Chauvin, reporting on the people, the scene and the mood.
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin sits day after day in a Hennepin County courtroom, listening to testimony and writing on a legal pad. His note-taking is constant.
I wish I knew what he was writing. Chauvin is apparently on an island, with only his defense attorneys. There is a chair reserved in the courtroom for his friends and family. Most days, no one sits there.
By contrast, members of George Floyd s family take turns daily sitting in the one allotted seat reserved for them in the back corner of the courtroom. Only two reporters are in the courtroom, one pool representative from a print organization and one from broadcast.
Posted: Apr 06, 2021 4:04 PM ET | Last Updated: April 6
Minneapolis police Lt. Johnny Mercil, a use-of-force trainer, testifies during the murder trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin.(Court TV/The Associated Press)
While neck restraints are part of the approved use-of-force training for Minneapolis police officers, Derek Chauvin s knee press into George Floyd s neck was a violation of policy, a lieutenant who trains officers in such techniques testified on Tuesday.
Lt. Johnny Mercil, a Minneapolis police officer who trained Chauvin in proper use-of-force techniques, was shown a picture of Chauvin with his knee pressed into Floyd s neck during their fatal confrontation on May 25, 2020.