Jurors in the U.S. state of Minnesota are hearing closing arguments Monday in the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer charged in the death of George Floyd.
Derek Chauvin’s defense wrapped up two days of questioning witnesses last week after two weeks of the prosecution presenting its case.
After hearing final arguments from each side, the jurors will be isolated until they reach a verdict.
Prosecutors argued that Chauvin, who is white, caused Floyd’s death by kneeling on his neck. Floyd, who is African American, was accused of using a counterfeit $20 bill, and bystander video of the police response last May sparked widespread protests in the United States and other parts of the world against police brutality and racial inequality.
WATCH: Video report on Derek Chauvin trial
Chauvin declined to take the witness stand during the trial.
His defense lawyers argued Chauvin acted reasonably against a suspect who was struggling, and that Floyd died because of an underlying heart condition and drug use.
If convicted of the most serious charge against him, second-degree murder, Chauvin could face up to 40 years in prison, though state guidelines suggest a sentence of about 12 years for such a charge.
The same issues raised by Floyd’s death came to the forefront in the community again about a week ago when a now-resigned police officer in a Minneapolis suburb killed a 20-year-old African American man during a traffic stop.
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April 19, 2021 at 02:00PM
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US Jury to Hear Closing Arguments in Trial of Officer Charged with Killing George Floyd - Voice of America
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