Thread by @UR_Ninja

#DerekChauvinTrial has begun for a second week. Jury selection resumes shortly.

Chauvin’s attorney Eric Nelson told the judge he plans to call a toxicologist to try to argue drugs allegedly found in George Floyd’s system caused his death (they didn’t)

pscp.tv/w/cx4FADFheVFW…

Prosecutors are arguing that the forensic pathologist Nelson hopes to call would essentially be making evaluations that only a psychiatrist would be competent for. They are also disputing various points Nelson referenced re the medical examiner report

Chauvin’s lawyer Eric Nelson is talking more about how he plans to elicit opinions from a medical witness about the implications of fentanyl levels in the bloodstream.

Chauvin’s defense clearly hopes to make use of disproven claims that George Floyd died of a fentanyl overdose.

The prosecution says they are concerned Nelson will solicit anecdotal testimony from medical witnesses to try to sow doubt about conditions of George Floyd’s death. Judge Cahill says he shares the concerns; unclear what limits he may impose on Chauvin’s defense in this regard.

The prosecution says Chauvin’s defense is claiming that some of Floyd’s physical symptoms around the time of his death are caused by drug intoxication, when the same signs could be associated with shock, stress, fear from Chauvin’s physical assault on him (which led to his death)

Judge Cahill is working out a guideline for the trial where medical witnesses can testify that things in a video seem consistent with something they’ve observed in their clinical experience, but that they shouldn’t speculate much beyond that.

Chauvin’s lawyer Eric Nelson lets out a chuckle when he says he might try to introduce evidence from a previous 2019 arrest of George Floyd.

Nelson seems to be intending to argue at trial that Floyd allegedly resisting arrest in the past somehow exonerates Chauvin choking him to death a year later

Nelson is now complaining about the civil settlement the City of Minneapolis reached with Floyd’s family last Friday, saying city statements have been “prejudicial”, calls the settlement news a “press leak”

Nelson hopes to use the news of the city’s settlement of the Floyd family lawsuit to try to get a continuance to delay the trial, or petition to change the venue (which would also delay the trial and require a new jury be seated)

Nelson is saying that because of the city’s settlement announcement, the defense should be awarded extra jury strikes and the jury should be sequestered

Minnesota prosecutors say that the Minneapolis civil suit settlement w Floyd family is beyond their control. “We cannot and do not control the Minneapolis city council...we do not control the news cycle”

Prosecution says that while jurors already have been exposed to extensive media coverage of the George Floyd case, and are asked to SRT that aside while serving in the trial, say the city settlement doesn’t change that.

Judge Cahill interrupts the prosecution to express dismay with the City of Minneapolis’ announcement of the George Floyd settlement, calls it “unfortunate” and seems to personally take offense at it

Judge Cahill lowers his tone of voice and calls the George Floyd lawsuit settlement announcement “prejudicial pretrial publicity.”

Denies Nelson’s motion for extra juror strikes, says he wishes “city officials would stop talking about the case so much”

While saying he is “not accusing Mr. Ellison of anything”, Nelson claims that Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison having a son on the Minneapolis city council means Derek Chauvin cannot get “a fair trial”.