The names of jurors who convicted former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for murdering George Floyd should not be publicly released, argued prosecutors pushing back on a request by several media companies seeking the information.
Keep Chauvin jurors' names and information sealed, prosecutors argue
Unsealing their information now could make it more difficult to find jurors for a second trial next year, prosecutors argued.
August 16, 2021 at 10:53PM
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's office filed a memorandum Monday asking Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill to follow his April 23 order sealing the information instead of entertaining the motion to make the names and related information public.
"The Court should not revisit its Order — mere months before the criminal trial for Mr. Chauvin's three co-defendants, and in advance of potential federal proceedings — when the likelihood of harassment will increase in the coming months and the marginal value of disclosure is low," wrote Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank and Special Assistant Attorney General Neal Katyal. "Once this Court releases jury information, it cannot turn back …"
Jurors convicted Chauvin on April 20 of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
His three former colleagues — J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao — are scheduled to be tried in state court next March for aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter.
All four also face charges in federal court; a date for that trial has not been set.
Cahill sealed juror names, profiles and questionnaires, as well as the original verdict forms and list of prospective jurors. His April order, which is uncommon, said he would revisit the issue no sooner than six months later.
A media coalition of local and national companies filed a motion Aug. 4 asking Cahill to release the information, noting that it was not aware of any threats or harassment directed at jurors who spoke to the media after the trial.
The coalition, which includes the Star Tribune, said court rules, common law and the Constitution call for making such information public.
Frank and Katyal argued that releasing it now would make it difficult to find jurors for the state trial next March.
Minnesota rules for court procedure, common law and the First Amendment allow judges to grant jurors anonymity to protect them from harassment, prosecutors wrote.
"The jurors in this case admirably fulfilled their civic duty in a trying case," prosecutors wrote.
Chao Xiong • 612-270-4708
Twitter: @ChaoStrib
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