Tentative March 2021 trial date set for ex-officers charged in George Floyd death

A judge on Monday set a tentative trial date for the four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd.

Judge Peter A. Cahill tentatively scheduled a March 8 trial date, with a pretrial hearing set for Sept. 11. Derek Chauvin, the officer who placed his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, has been charged with second-degree murder, while Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, and J. Alexander Kueng have been charged with aiding and abetting Chauvin. Cahill said he expects their attorneys will file motions for separate trials.

Cahill did not issue a gag order, but did say officials, friends, and family members should refrain from making public statements about the case, as they endanger "the right to a fair trial." If the comments continue, he is prepared to move the trial out of Minneapolis.

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The officers were fired after Floyd's death on May 25, which sparked anti-racism and anti-police brutality protests across the United States. Chauvin is in a state prison, held on $1 million bail, while Thao is in jail on $750,000 bail. Lane and Kueng are both free on bond.