The murder and manslaughter trial of the former Minneapolis police officer accused in the death of George Floyd is staying in Hennepin County and won't be further delays, according to the judge presiding over the high-profile case.
"As far as change of venue," said Judge Peter Cahill, pausing more than four seconds at that point in his Friday morning ruling, "I do not think that would give the defendant any kind of a fair trial beyond what we're doing here today."
Cahill also said he is allowing medical evidence from Floyd’s May 2019 arrest in Minneapolis to be presented during the trial, since the cause of death is a highly contested issue and the circumstances of both arrests were very similar.
In the same ruling, defense attorneys and prosecutors were barred from bringing up Floyd's emotional state during that arrest.
Cahill said earlier in the week he'd making the venue change ruling today, a week after a controversial news conference in which the city of Minneapolis announced a $27 million dollar settlement with Floyd's family.
"I don't think there's any place in the state of Minnesota that has not been subjected to extreme amounts of publicity on this case."
The decisions drew praise from Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison, who is leading the prosecution.
Ellison released a statement:
"The court correctly ruled against a continuance and change of venue. The court has taken careful, considered steps to mitigate the effects of pre-trial publicity that make a continuance and change of venue unnecessary. A week ahead of schedule, both sides have now agreed on 12 jurors, more than half of whom were selected since early last Friday afternoon and all of whom have been carefully screened for impartiality in the face of inevitable pre-trial publicity not only in Hennepin County, but in every part of Minnesota.
"As we have said throughout, the state has been and is ready to proceed to trial on schedule. We look forward to presenting our case against Mr. Chauvin on the charges of 2nd- and 3rd-degree murder and 2nd-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd to a fair and impartial jury in Hennepin County."
Cahill expressed anger about the settlement announcement earlier in the week, and asked court officials, and city leaders, to stop talking about it.
He did bring it up during his Friday statements, which came before jury selection resumed.
The court has agreed on 12 jurors for the case, which means they need to pick two alternates to complete the selection process.
Cahill has set March 29 as the day for opening statements.