The death of George Floyd last year shocked the world and sparked a so-called racial reckoning, including multiple Black Lives Matter protests.
This week sees the first prosecution in connection to George Floyd’s death – the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is about to get under way.
Jury selection begins on Tuesday March 09 2021.
But what happened to George Floyd? And where are the police officers involved now?
Here’s everything you need to know.
Read more: Dane Bowers slammed for questioning if George Floyd’s death was race-related
Who was George Floyd?
George Perry Floyd Jr. was an African American dad-of-five.
Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, he grew up in Houston, Texas.
The keen footballer and basketball player also became a hip-hop artist.
George served four years in prison after accepting a plea bargain for a 2007 aggravated robbery in a home invasion.
In 2014, he moved to Minneapolis and worked as a truck driver and security guard.
Sadly, he lost his security job during the pandemic.
George Floyd died during an arrest on May 25 2020 when he was just 46 years old.
He left behind five children, two grandchildren and fiancée Courtney Ross.
What happened to George Floyd?
On May 25 2020, George Floyd entered a grocery store in Minneapolis.
When a store clerk alleged he had passed a counterfeit $20 bill, four police officers arrived on the scene.
During the arrest, Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes and 46 seconds.
Footage taken at the time shows George Floyd handcuffed and face down in the street.
Two other officers further restrained him and a fourth prevented onlookers from intervening.
George was motionless and had no pulse during the final two minutes.
The officers called for medical assistance, but took no action to treat him.
Derek Chauvin kept his knee on George’s neck as emergency medical technicians arrived.
A medical examiner found that George Floyd’s heart stopped while he was being restrained.
His death was classified a homicide caused by “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression”.
George Floyd’s family commissioned a second autopsy.
It found that his death was a homicide caused by asphyxia due to neck and back compression.
Unarmed George told the police officers “I can’t breathe” in the minutes leading up to his death.
Read more: Meghan Markle gives moving speech on George Floyd death
Who are the cops involved and where are they now?
Four Minneapolis police officers were sacked and charged over the killing of George Floyd in June 2020.
The officers were Derek Chauvin, J Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao.
Derek Chauvin walked away from prison after posting a $1m bail in October 2020.
All four officers have now posted bail and are free until their trial this year.
Derek Chauvin had been at the maximum-security prison in Oak Park Heights, Minnesota.
George Floyd death: Derek Chauvin
Derek restrained George by kneeling on his neck while he was handcuffed on the floor.
Fellow police officers arrested Derek and charged him with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Derek served for almost 19 years with the Minneapolis Police Department, making him the most senior officer involved in George Floyd’s arrest.
The day after Mr Chauvin’s arrest, a lawyer for his wife Kellie said she had filed for divorce.
Thomas Lane
Mr Lane was one of the first two officers called to reports of a counterfeit $20 bill.
At the scene, he approached Mr Floyd’s car, pointed his gun at him and handcuffed him.
He later helped Mr Chauvin and Mr Kueng restrain Mr Floyd on the floor.
The police force charged him with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
Thomas Lane started working for the force just four days prior to Mr Floyd’s death.
J Alexander Kueng
Mr Kueng was first on the scene with Mr Lane.
He helped Mr Chauvin and Mr Lane pin Mr Floyd to the floor.
The police force charged him with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
Like Mr Lane, Mr Kueng was relatively new to policing, entering the force in Minneapolis in February 2019 as a cadet.
Tou Thao
Mr Thao stood near the other three officers while they restrained Mr Floyd.
He stood between bystanders and the officers, telling the former to keep their distance.
Superiors charged him with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
The trial of Derek Chauvin
The trial of Derek Chauvin is set to be one of the most significant police trials in US history and will be live-streamed.
Chauvin has pleaded not guilty to second degree murder and second degree manslaughter.
The three other dismissed officers will stand trial together later this year.
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