MINNEAPOLIS: The US police officer charged with the murder of George Floyd, the 46-year-old African-American man whose death sparked nationwide protests, was due to appear in court in person for the first time on Friday.
Derek Chauvin, who was filmed on May 25 pressing his knee on handcuffed Floyd鈥檚 neck until he passed out on a street in Minneapolis, faces one count of second degree murder, one count of third degree murder, and one count of second degree manslaughter.
Three other Minneapolis officers who were with Chauvin when Floyd was arrested have been charged with aiding and abetting second degree manslaughter. All four were fired the day after Floyd鈥檚 death.
Prosecutors say Floyd鈥檚 death was 鈥渧icious, brutal, and dehumanizing.鈥� He had been detained for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a grocery.
As Chauvin knelt on Floyd鈥檚 neck, two other officers pinned down Floyd鈥檚 back and legs, and the fourth prevented bystanders from intervening to save his life.
In his first live appearance in a courtroom, Chauvin鈥檚 lawyers are expected to argue that Floyd was on drugs at the time and died of a fentanyl overdose.
Prosecutors want to try all four together, saying the worked in concert, and that a joint trial would be more efficient and would save Floyd鈥檚 family anguish.
Defense attorneys want to have the four tried separately and also are asking to change the venue for the trial.
Outside the Family Justice Center in downtown Minneapolis early Friday, several dozen protesters chanted 鈥淕eorge Floyd!鈥� and carried placards and a large flag that read 鈥淏lack Lives Matter.鈥�