Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis cop who held his knee on George Floyd’s neck for nine minutes last May, will not testify in his murder trial. Chauvin, who is facing second and third-degree murder charges, as well as second-degree manslaughter, spoke in court for the first time on Thursday before the jury was brought into the room. “I will invoke my Fifth Amendment privilege” against self-incrimination, Chauvin told Hennepin Judge Peter Cahill, before confirming that he had made the decision on his own. Shortly after, the defense rested their case. Over two days, Chauvin’s defense team argued that Chauvin’s restraint of Floyd was justified, and that Floyd’s death was partially due to other factors, like heart disease and drug use. Cahill said closing arguments in the four-week trial will begin on Monday before the 12-person jury is sequestered for deliberations.
