The jury has reached a verdict in the Derek Chauvin case for the killing of African American male George Floyd in Minnesota.
The verdict will be announced between 4 and 5 pm Daylight Saving time.
There is a strong law enforcement presence in Minnesota and other US cities in the event that violence erupts should there be a no guilty verdict.
According to Associated Press, prosecutors argued that Chauvin squeezed the life out of Floyd last May when the white officer knelt on or near the 46-year-old Black man’s neck for 9 1/2 minutes.
The defense contended that the now-fired white officer acted reasonably and that a heart condition and illegal drug use led to Floyd’s death.
The jury of six white people and six people who are Black or multiracial spent just a few hours on their task Monday after the day was mostly consumed by closing arguments. They will remain sequestered until verdicts are reached.
Chauvin, 45, is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter The most serious charge carries up to 40 years in prison.
