‘Stakes extremely high’ as US readies for Chauvin trial

Trial of ex-cop charged in George Floyd’s death, which sparked global protests, marks a ‘seminal’ moment for US, experts say.

George Floyd’s death at the hands of police last year set off months of mass protests across the United States and the world, as people demanded an end to racial injustice and police violence against Black people. Now, as the trial of the former officer charged in Floyd’s death begins on Monday, experts say the proceedings mark an “historic” moment that will speak volumes about systemic racism, policing and the justice system in the US. “It’s a seminal moment,” Howard Henderson, founding director of the Center for Justice Research at Texas Southern University, said about the trial of Derek Chauvin.