I’m at the Hennepin County Jail where former MPD officer Derek Chauvin is scheduled to make his first court appearance, via video monitor, from the Oak Park Heights prison where he is held. I’ll add details to a thread here after it gets underway. @kare11 
With social distancing -- this hearing requires two overflow courtrooms with 9 reporters in each - besides the main courtroom.
Chauvin is charged with 2nd Degree Murder, 3rd Degree Murder and 2nd Degree Manslaughter. We expect the judge to set bail amount today.
There is still a lot of national press here.. ABC, CNN, Washington Post and a couple Aussies at least.
Chauvin is represented by Eric Nelson - who defended Amy Senser in a high profile trial in Hennepin County in 2012. The Attorney General prosecutor listed on the file is Matthew Frank.
There was no tweeting allowed during the hearing, so I am catching up now.
I am going to re-do the last series of Tweets to fix my mistake with the Judge's name and still maintain a thread. Fixes below:
Judge Jeannice Reding set bail at $1.25 mil without conditions, or $1mil with conditions: no contact with victim's family, don't work in law enforcement or security, turn in all guns and permits, can't leave MN w/o permission. There is no indication if Chauvin has any bail plans
Chauvin just answered simple questions during the hearing (He pronounces his name SHOW-vin, not SHAW-vin as you've been hearing in the news for two weeks now.)
Chauvin's attorney Eric Nelson did not make any argument for bail. Judge Reding gave the exact amount and conditions requested by prosecutor Matthew Frank
Chauvin's next court appearance is scheduled for June 29 at 1:30pm.
When Frank made his argument for bail, he noted two factors for high amount needed: 1. Likelihood to flee and 2. seriousness of charges.
"Obviously the death has had a strong reaction in the community, to put it mildly," Frank said.
"Obviously the death has had a strong reaction in the community, to put it mildly," Frank said.
So in the flight risk argument -- Frank noted both the likelihood to flee because of seriousness of charges and because of the strength of community's opinion.
Flight risk is a standard argument made in bail hearings. But maybe first time I've heard community opinion noted.
Flight risk is a standard argument made in bail hearings. But maybe first time I've heard community opinion noted.
