At the moment a trial is being conducted against Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis Police officer charged with the death of George Floyd (an unarmed Black man) which sparked widespread protests around the world last year.
On the 25th of May 2020 police in Minneapolis, Minnesota were called outside a shop to reports of a man using counterfeit money to buy a pack of cigarettes. George Floyd was then forced to the ground by the police officer (Derek Chauvin) and was pinned to the ground, suffocating as his neck was kneeled on for a full 8 minutes and 29 seconds despite the pleads of bystanders and George himself, stating 'I can't breathe' numerous times.
The killing of George Floyd was spread around the world via a Facebook post from one of the bystanders and led to large scale protests about Police Brutality and BLM across the world. This directly lead to Mr Chauvin being sacked imminently and waiting a trial date which is now happening.
Mr Chauvin is being charged with second-degree manslaughter, unintentional second-degree murder and third degree murder which means that he could be facing up to 40 years in prison. The defendant's attorneys' first statement was that the case isn't about race or politics, but a reasonable use of force amid a lengthy, contentious arrest and also that George Floyd was resisting arrest as well as being under the influence of narcotics which prolonged and escalated the arrest. However in the video it shows that Mr Chauvin neglected his duty to care for the person in custody (which the police have to do to an extent).
The results of this trial will be very important for how the Police in America and its citizens could actin the future, if Mr Chauvin wins the case then it would be likely that even larger protests will take place in George Floyd's name and if Mr Chauvin loses the case then the extent in which a police officer can use force will be severely reduced.
