Officer with knee to Floyd’s neck to be tried alone

MINNEAPOLIS» A former Minneapolis police officer who held his knee to the neck of George Floyd for minutes will be tried separately from the three other former officers accused in his death, according to an order filed Tuesday that cites limited courtroom space due to COVID-19 restrictions. Derek Chauvin will stand trial alone in March while the other three former officers will be tried together in the summer. Judge Peter Cahill cited the limitations of physical space during the coronavirus pandemic, saying it is “impossible to comply with COVID-19 physical restrictions” given how many lawyers and support personnel that four defendants say would be present. Prosecutors disagreed with the judge’s decision to split the trials.