Former Minneapolis officer who helped restrain George Floyd pleads guilty as jury selection set to begin
George Floyd’s mother says she is hopeful justice will be served in the murder of her son. (Kevin Brooks/BET)
In this April 21, 2016 file photo, Rev. Al Sharpton gestures during a protest for the release of George Floyd at the University of Missouri. The jury in a wrongful death trial set to begin Monday, June 12, 2018, will hear testimony about the fatal shooting of Floyd by Minneapolis police. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
George Floyd’s mother says she is hopeful she will see justice served in the shooting death of her son by a Minneapolis police officer.
Jurors in the civil case for Floyd’s death are slated to hear the first day of testimony Monday as opening arguments resume in the trial. A jury in the wrongful death case will hear Floyd’s family’s claims that he was handcuffed in the back after being shot, and was subsequently left in that position for an undetermined number of minutes to ensure a bloodbath.
Attorneys representing the family have asked the judge to call witnesses, including Chief Medaria Arradondo, who told them it was impossible for Floyd to have been handcuffed at the time of the shooting, and that he was not the officer’s partner. Arradondo testified Friday that he did not remember Floyd being handcuffed earlier that day, but also could not remember specifically telling the family that he would not. He denied telling them that he would not have time to do that if Floyd was shot in the back. He testified that he had not been involved in Floyd’s arrest or trial.
That is the first step in the case, but the next will be making arguments, with each side offering its own versions of what happened and how it was followed by officers.
It is rare for a jury to hear a case on the day of trial. Trials tend to take a long time, and evidence can come in slowly.
The first day of Floyd’s trial began Friday morning, and continues through the end