"Ongoing coverage"-----Chauvin Pre-Trial Day 1: 3d Degree Murder Throws Wrench Into Jury Selection Process

Chauvin Pre-Trial Day 1: 3d Degree Murder Throws Wrench Into Jury Selection Process

• Judge indicated jury selection would move forward unless an appeals court told him to stop pending a Minnesota Supreme Court review of the third-degree murder charge.

"Welcome back to our ongoing coverage of the Minnesota murder trial of Derek Chauvin, over the in-custody death of George Floyd.  

I am Attorney Andrew Branca for Law of Self Defense, providing guest commentary and analysis of this trial for Legal Insurrection.

As a reminder, I am “LIVE Parlering” the trial in real-time over at my Parler account, which you can find using my Parler handle: @LawofSelfDefense 

...The key cause of the hold-up is the uncertainty around the third-degree murder charge which the state wants to bring against Derek Chauvin, in addition to the second-degree murder and manslaughter charges on which he is currently charged.

Minnesota labels its various criminal offenses in a rather untraditional manner, so it’s worth looking at the actual criminal charges themselves.

With respect to the second-degree murder charge the relevant statute is § 609.19. 

Murder in the second degree, which is sub-divided into two major sections.  Subdivision 1 covers intentional murders.  

Chauvin is not charged under this section... Read all.