Media Groups Protest Restrictions for 3 Ex-officers’ Trial

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A coalition of media groups says restrictions on access to the federal civil rights trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death amount to an unconstitutional closing of the courtroom.

Citing the risks of the pandemic, Judge Paul Magnuson has restricted the number of people who may be in his courtroom for the proceedings against Tou Thao, J. Kueng and Thomas Lane. They’re charged with depriving Floyd of his rights while acting under government authority.

Jury selection begins Thursday. Magnuson has also restricted how much can be seen on a closed-circuit feed of the proceedings, which will be relayed to overflow rooms where only a limited number of journalists and members of the public can watch.