Six of 14 jurors now picked in trial of ex-police officer Chauvin, charged in death of George Floyd

Jury selection in the trial of an ex-Minneapolis police officer charged in the 2020 death of George Floyd resumed Friday with six of the 14 jurors already in place.

The selection process began Tuesday and will conclude when lawyers on both sides have agreed to 12 jurors and two alternate jurors.

The jurors are being seated for the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin. He is charged in connection to the killing of Floyd who died in police custody May 25, 2020. Chauvin began the week facing first- and second-degree murder charges.

On Thursday, the judge in the case reinstated a third-degree murder charge against Chauvin, after his defense team failed to get an appellate court to block the additional charge.

The jury panel is so far made up of five men and one woman. Three of the six jurors are white, one is multiracial, one Hispanic and one black, according to the Associated Press. All jurors will remain anonymous to the public to protect the safety and authenticity of the case.

Floyd is a black male, and Chauvin is a white male. 

The jury selection process is expected to take about three weeks, with the opening statements in the trial expected to start March 29. 

The only individual selected on Thursday told attorneys that he has a "very negative" impression of Chauvin but also said he was capable of setting his views aside to consider the evidence of the case.

Describing himself as an outgoing, family-oriented soccer fan, the man acknowledged that he finds the trial "kind of exciting." In a questionnaire form, he also acknowledged having seen the by-stander footage of Floyd laying on the ground "desperately screaming that he couldn’t breathe." By-stander video appears to show Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes during the arrest.

“I’m willing to see all the evidence and everything, hear witnesses," the man said, confirming his spot on the jury.

A woman interviewed who did not meet the requirements told attorneys she could not unsee the video, saying it is going to be "a big part of the evidence and there’s no changing my mind about that."