and i'm sure i will see you there! that's where not only the white house but in fact all of america will be pivoting. baseball starts again april 1. >> okay. i see what my week looks like now. that does it for us this morning. stephanie ruhle picks up the coverage right now. hi, there, i'm stephanie ruhle. it's monday, march 29th, and we're about 90 minutes away from opening statements in the trial of derek chauvin. it is the beginning of one of the biggest cases in the history of minneapolis and our nation. a trial that will be broadcast live across the country for all the world to see. chauvin, of course, the ex-minneapolis police officer charged with second degree murder, third degree murder and manslaughter in the deaths of george floyd. last may video of chauvin

kneeling on floyd's neck for about nine minutes after floyd was accused of using counterfeit money at a grocery store. that video went viral leading to nationwide protests, really international protests and racial reckoning across the world. now after two weeks of jury selection, 12 people plus two alternates, will hear the evidence and make a decision that could spark outrage or relieved cry of justice around the world. this was floyd's family earlier. >> the thing that killed george floyd was an overdose of excessive force. this murder case is not hard. >> nine women and six men will hear the case. nine are white, four are black. and two are multiracial. one of the alternate jurors is expected to be released at the start of the trial today. any minute now we're expected to hear from george floyd's family and their lawyer after a vigil was held in minneapolis last

night. we're going to take you now to my colleague shaq brewster. she's in minneapolis, minnesota. shaq haes been covering this in the league up to the trial for the last few weeks. shaq, here it is. we are going to hear opening statements and floyd family and their lawyer in a press conference a few minutes from now. what are you expecting to hear? >> stephanie, i'll tell you the floyd family just arrived here in downtown minneapolis in front of the courthouse. you see the press conference is set up there, the courthouse is in the background there. and this will begin opening statements. today is the first day of opening statement is, which is really when the prosecution will begin laying out their case against that ex-officer who is accused of killing george floyd. we will hear comments from the judge, he will bring in the jury and officially swear in those 14

jurors. and then we will hear from the prosecution. what we are being told from legal experts is don't expect this to be that dramatic law-and-order moment for opening statements. instead this will be a roadmap, guide for jury about what is to come. they will say what the witnesses will show or evidence will show. you will expect a guide of what we will hear throughout the rest of this trial. we will also hear from the floyd family. they just approached the microphone behind me and what they've been signaling is how emotional of a moment this will be for them. we expect to see not only the facebook video of george floyd under the knee of ex-officer derek chauvin that sparked that social justice movement -- >> shaq, i need to jump in and interrupt you. thank you, yes, we are hearing from the floyd family lawyer and floyd family. let's take you through. >> we have the honor of representing the family of

george perry floyd jr. present here with us is my mentor and our civil rights leader, reverend al sharpton. who is standing with the family of george floyd assembled here today and there are others flying in this morning for what they know will be a long four-week justice to -- journey to justice, four-week journey to justice. we have his cousin's shareeduh tate, teedra mcgee, tera brown. we have his nephew brandon williams. we have his brothers rod floyd and philonise floyd, his sister

bridget floyd is in route. and we know justin and his daughter is also here in minneapolis today. today started a landmark trial that will be a referendum on how far america has come in its quest for ee callty and justice for all. it will be prima facie evidence, this trial of derek chauvin regarding the killing of george floyd on may 25th, 2020, right

here in minneapolis. it will be prima facie evidence whether america is going to live up to the declaration of independence. i know everybody can quote the declaration of independence, but this trial is going to provide evidence of whether we really believe it when we say we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equally, that they're endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that amongst them are life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. america, that means plaque black people too.

and that means black people too. and for reverend al, all of those in america who say this is a hard trial, this is such a difficult trial, well, we rebuke that. we know if george floyd was a white american citizen and he suffered this painful, torture us death with a police officer kneeling on his neck, nobody -- >> nobody. >> nobody -- will be saying this is a hard case. >> right. >> and when people ask you that, activists and family face of activists ask you, well, isn't this a tough case because they're going to try to say george floyd had a trace amount of drugs in his system, you let them know that ben crump said that george floyd was living, breathing, walking and talking

just fine until the police put him face down and put him in handcuffs and put a knee on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds! so this murder case is not hard when you watch that torture video of george floyd. you all understand? >> yeah! >> this murder case is not hard when you watch that torture video of george floyd, and we have to call it what it is, it was torture! even under the geneva convention definition, it was torture! and derek chauvin should be held criminally liable for the death of george floyd. you know, we the civil lawyers

make sure the george floyd got their civil justice under the seventh amendment, tony, with the historic $27 million settlement that not only included compensation for the family but also policy reform and that is important but that's all part of the justice. george floyd, just like any other citizen, his family is deserving of whole justice, full justice. that means the state and engines of the government should hold individuals who commit crimes accountable under the tenth amendment and black people in america should not only have to

get partial justice. we have every right to get whole justice, civil justice and criminal justice! nobody questioned when i diamond family got a $20 settlement, that that white family should not also get criminal justice! so why is it we were questioned in 2021 whether black people in america can get whole justice as well under the seventh amendment and tenth amendment? we're not asking for anything extraordinary. we're asking for equal justice under the law. and news flash, news flash, breaking news -- we expect in just a few minutes you're going to hear opening

arguments and they're going to take the playbook out, reverend al, and they're going to try to assassinate the character of george floyd. philonise, they're going to call your brother everything but a child of god. and they're going to talk about as much as they can about his record. but his record isn't at issue because this is the trial of derek chauvin! breaking news, this is the trial of derek chauvin! let's talk about his record! his 19 complaints of excessive force by citizens here in minneapolis! that's what we should be talking about. george floyd didn't kill anybody! derek chauvin was the person that killed george floyd, so why is it we will allow them to assassinate the character of george floyd after they assassinated his person?

they taught me in law school if you have the facts on your side, then by all means, argue the facts, but then they said, if the facts ain't really with you, then try to assassinate your opponent's character as a way to hopefully distract everybody from focusing in on the facts. well, everybody, please do not be distracted. the facts are simple. what killed george floyd was an overdose of excessive force. the transcript from the autopsies are clear, the manner and cause of death was asphyxiation by homicide. philonise said in the hood they choked him.

it was a knee choke. let's remember the facts here. this murder case is not hard. just look at the torture video of george floyd. when anybody asks you, remind them, this murder case is not hard, just look at the torture video of george floyd. the most viewed murder of police on a citizen in the history of the world. it has been viewed just over 50 million times on youtube and probably as many more times on cable television. everybody has saw this video. what we want to know is will we see justice? the whole world is watching. the whole world is watching. so you're going to hear from attorney tony romanucci,

attorney justin miller and attorney jeff storms. and then you're going to hear from the family of george floyd and then after that, you're going to hear from our civil rights leader, america's civil rights leader, al sharpton. we're trying to get it so we can get it at 8:46, and we're going to try to keep time and then reverend al, after he gives us our call to action, we're going to take a knee for 8:46 and hopefully everybody within the sound of his voice will join us and take that knee to understand what george floyd went through the last minutes and seconds of his life. without further ado, attorney

tony romanucci, great, great, lawyer from chicago, illinois, my brother in this struggle. >> good morning, everybody. my name is antonio romanucci. yesterday i said we were on day 306 of george floyd being killed. today is day 307, but it's the first day of justin for the criminal case. as my brother ben crump said, this is a case of common sense. this is not a case about george floyd's character. this is not a case about george floyd's past. this is a case about what happened on may 25th of 2020. and i will tell you this, remember, mechanical asphyxiation by homicide. that was determined by the who independent mechanic examiners that we brought to this town to examine george days after he was killed. and why we did that because we had to challenge and attack the

narrative that hennepin county had put out that george died of a fentanyl overdose. immediately you could see that their message was for george floyd when it should have been about derek chauvin. and we are here to be the messenger for the goodness of george floyd, and what derek chauvin did on george floyd that day. we're here because civil justice, we're there for criminal justice. but i will tell you something, we have to message change of laws. the minnesota general assembly will have an opportunity to change one of the most important laws that we ever had in this state. and that's changing the arbitration reform bill. we want it named the george

floyd reform arbitration bill. we want it so that if the chief of police fires a police officer because they lied, because they used unreasonable use of force, because they were egregious conduct, we want that determination by the chief of police to stand. we don't want it overturned by an arbitrator. we want the chief of police, just like chief arradondo did in this case, he fired those police officers because they failed to intervene. they didn't try to change george's life when he said, "i can't breathe." just like we're all doing right now, we're breathing. we don't have to think about it. george was begging to breathe. that is deserving of termination. it's not deserving of an arbitrator to review that termination and overturn.

but we're here in georgia's spirit because every single day since his death, george has sent a message and he's going to send a message in perpetuity. we're going to make sure that never, ever needless death happens again or unrestrained, not violent man, a black man, killed at the hands of white police officers, never happens again. thank you very much. >> thank you, attorney. thank you, attorney romanucci. hailing from atlanta, georgia, a person who has been instrumental in helping us achieve that historic civil justice for the family of george floyd, especially the child of george floyd, my brother attorney justin miller, partners with attorney chris stewart. >> good morning. my name is attorney justin miller. on behalf of my law partner chris stewart, who couldn't be

here with you today, i bring you greetings. this today is not the trial of george floyd. i've heard people say that. this is the george floyd trial. this is the george floyd trial. george floyd is not on trial. this is the trial of derek chauvin and it should be printed and spoken about that way every single time we talk about it. this trial is about america being america for all americans. not just some of us. all americans. and it can be that way and it should be that way. we have to take time now to think about what we want for our children and for our families. this family behind me is suffering and they've been suffering since the beginning of this thing and they're going to suffer long after all of you have gone and all of us are gone. what we want to do and this trial can do is make sure no other families have to suffer in this manner. george floyd was murdered.

he wasn't killed. he didn't die. he was murdered. >> yep. >> when a man is murdered, there should be retribution. there's no real justice in my opinion for a person who was murdered. you can never get his life back. his daughter will never get a father back. his brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews will ever have that person in their life. what we can do is make sure justice is served in the courtroom to derek chauvin, the person who for 8:46 tortured, murdered and killed george floyd in front of the world for everyone to see. you know, in the very beginning of this, i had to explain to my children while during the pandemic, i was flying to minnesota to talk about and to represent the family of george

floyd and to see their faces, their faces. to explain to them why america was different for them and why they were going to have to change and understand what was going on, 10 years old and 7 years old. it broke my heart to see their faces after i explained that. i don't think another family should have to explain that. another father should have to explain that to their children. i think this should be the last time, and in that courtroom behind us in minneapolis, minnesota, we can go a long way in making that a reality. in the words of a good friend of microscope, stephen jackson, who was here in the very beginning of all of this, who pushed and kept this case in the limelight, he said, just for george floyd and love for all, who have lost

for all. love for all who have love for all. today we can get some measure of justice, ben. >> yes, sir. >> today is the beginning of a new era for minneapolis, minnesota, for america, and also for the world as a whole. >> amen. >> keep your eyes on minnesota. this is where change is going to start. thank you. >> thank you, attorney miller. and as i get ready to bring attorney jeff stone from minneapolis, we are trying to be coordinated. we want reverend al speaking around 8:40 or so. and around 8:46, at 8:46, it's symbolic, there's a reason, we are going to have you try to all follow his instructions.

attorney jeff storm is one of the great minnesota lawyers, along with michelle, who helped us receive civil justice. now we're returning to attorney keith ellerson and prosecutors to deliver criminal justice. and it's been an honor to work with you, jeff, in your native hometown. >> thank you, ben. it's been an honor to work with you as well. for too long, too many of us have been deliberately indifferent at least to the atrocities that have befallen our black brothers and sisters, but today is a landmark moment behind us to show the world that no longer will we be deliberately indifferent to hate through love and power, through these leaders, through these families that have suffered, we

will all work together to eradicate it in every manner possible. and that means both civil and criminal justice. and we are all playing a role in that and we thank you all for that. thank you. >> thank you so much, jeff. now we're going to have his family, it's going to be emotional for them, and you can imagine they're about to have to sit through this court proceeding and hear them talk about the person they all grew up with in the projects of houston, texas. congresswoman sheila jackson lee reminds us not only is george floyd family in the limelight but also the whole cooney holm neighborhood, all of black

america is in the limelight as we deal with this landmark case. his family, all of them have been so dignified and graceful in the face of this unimaginable, horrific tragedy. can you imagine just for a second if that was your loved ones down on that ground begging. i don't we can imagine that. but just try to imagine if the person that looked after you on the ground begging for a breath, and that's the last moments of his life on this earth.

that's what they're dealing with. we will call his brothers to come before you, philonise floyd, terrence floyd, rodney floyd, and brandon williams. and also his cousins are here, tera brown and shareeduh tate and lateedra mcgee. so if you all will come forward. you represent the legacy of your brother. >> we are here for houston, texas, cooney holmes, our broth george floyd represents the third ward in houston and any ghetto around america.

he represents all of that. we are one. and he came to minnesota to better himself. he had a lot of great things going. he fell in love with the city. he fell in love with the people. and he went to trucking school and minnesota offered so much to him. and so -- bear with me, all. >> good job. >> if so george floyd came into this city to make a better way for himself. unfortunately, mr. chauvin, you all seen the video, 8:46, kneeled on our brother's neck. y'all, please, do not be entertained by the lie they're

going to throw out about him. don't be entertained by the law. the truth is, he was killed in the streets. he came from houston to make a better way for himself. unfortunately, mr. chavin, killed our brother in the street. please, y'all, keep that in mind, he was murdered in the streets. that's all. i'm going to leave it at that. >> it's cold out here but the heat is on. the state of minnesota, minneapolis, they will have to make the right decision. they can't sweep this under the rug. george floyd, fernando castille, they were all killed by officers sworn to protect us. so many others i cannot name,

there are so many throughout america. but one thing i can tell you, we will get justice. we will not allow derek chauvin, tao and his crew to be the judge, the prosecutor and the executioner. >> right. >> if we can't get justice for a black man here in america, we will get justice everywhere else in america. this is a starting point. this is not a finishing point. we will be around the world to get justice for all others, meaning in brazil, london, ghana, anywhere we have to go to because the shade of your skin shouldn't be a death sentence. america is watching. just like this press, many shows, court tv, they will display everything, just like when this man had his knee on my brother's neck for 8:46.

it was a motion cinema picture. everybody seen it. you had to be blind if you didn't see it. a blind man heard a black man being tortured to death. thank you, y'all. >> now, brandon williams, his nephew who was like a son to him. >> every time we come to minnesota -- and we've been here a few times since the horrific day on may 25th. it's never easy. but i think i can speak for us all when i say that this trip was a lot easier. we came here for one thing and one thing only, we came to get justice and nothing less. we came to get justice. when you think about may 25th, seeing my uncle lay on the ground not resisting arrest, calling for his mother with a knee on his neck for 8:46, and

never, ever did anyone do one thing to render aid, saying hey, maybe this guy is telling the truth, he can't breathe. to say this trial is hard. we got two justice systems in america, one for white america and one for black america. we can't have that. i think today is definitely the starting point. it's change that's long overdue in this country. this can go all the way back to rodney king. as my uncle said, a blind man can see this. a blind man could see that's murder. despite anything they say about my uncle, that was murder. so either they weren't trained or qualified to do their job or they intended on taking his life. either way we need justice. i think throughout this whole

trial, that's one word you will hear me and my family say a lot. justice. somebody needs to be held accountable. >> yes, sir. >> you mean to tell me if he didn't encounter derek chauvin that day, he would have still died? >> no, no! >> anybody out here standing out here today believe that, there's still a problem in america. a problem that needs to be addressed and addressed today. >> yes, sir. >> we can't get george floyd back, but what we can do is make sure that no family feels this pain and suffering we feel. his daughter won't have a father in her life. his brothers won't have a big brother to love and protect them the way that he did. someone needs to be held accountable. >> yes, sir! >> and we're going to demand that. thank you, all. >> the last brother you will

hear from hails from new york. that's terrence floyd. >> take your time. >> peace, everybody, peace. like my family said, this is a very trying and hard time for us, you know, but thank you, everyone, for your prayers, your love, your support. it really strengthens us. and it's different because all of the cases we saw before, i can name two, because like you said, i'm from new york so i name shawn bell, i actually lived around the corner from where he got shot. i was actually sleeping, i heard the gunshots and when i woke up in the morning, everyone was saying what had happened around the corner. and i have friends -- i have friends that went to school with

shawn bell. so to see that, no justice in that, in that situation, it made me furious. then in new york you came with eric garner and we watched that. even more furious but it hit different right now because we're on the other side of the fence. that was my brother. it just feels very different to just sit there and watch the video. i watched it numerous times. some people say why are you doing that to yourself? why are you doing that to yourself? because just like a person has a voicemail and they lose a love one but they call that voicemail just to hear their voice. i was watching the video, not to discuss myself or get myself furious, that was the last time i could hear his voice.

so i watched it. i watched it. i watched it. every time i watched it, it seemed like it made me stronger because i knew. they murdered him. but we are still floyd strong, and we're still here. so we're going to hold it down for him. you know what i'm saying? they say trust the system. they want us to trust the system. well, this is your chance to show us we can trust you. thank you. >> absolutely. thank you, terrence. and his family sister bridget and daughter gianna, his sister la tanya, his sister jaja and

the whole floyd family. thank you for being vigil in your fight for justice. america, this is the opportunity. this is the opportunity. last night our national civil rights leader, a person who's been with the family since the beginning, reverend al sharpton and national action network, had a prayer vigil because they understood that we needed to pray for this family. but also we needed to pray for america because this is a similar moment, a landmark moment in american history. and so we need to pray that america can live up to the high ideals. we need to pray that america can continue to be the beacon of hope and justice for all the world to marvel, because the whole world is watching, and

america, we so desperately want to believe marginalized people of color will get the same constitutional rights as all other american citizens enjoy. historically we have not seen that america. that has not been our reality. so george floyd galvanized cities all across america, and across the world when that video, that video of torture was viewed millions and millions of times, so america, this is the moment, this is the moment to show the rest of the world that

you are the standard bearer when it comes to liberty and justice for all. the whole world is watching. the whole world is watching. the whole world is watching. >> whole world. >> and so it's befitting and appropriate we will have our civil rights leader today for america, my mentor, one of our co-counsellors, even though he's not a lawyer, the man who answers the bell all the way from shawn bell and rodney king, attorney romanucci, all the way up to ahmaud arbery, breonna taylor, jacob blake jr., anthony mcclain, andre hill. i'm just talking about black people who were killed by police

in 2020! i ain't talking about trayvon and mike brown and sandra bland and alta sterling. even here in 2020, think about how much hashtags were created during the covid-19 pandemic when everything was shut down in america seems like exempt implicit bias and police brutality. that's why we need his moral leadership now more than ever, the reverend al sharpton. >> thank you, attorney crump. let me say that last may when this nation and world witnessed a lynching by knee of george

floyd, we are here to see the case of a man that used his knee to lynch a man and then blamed the man for the lynching. first of all, what was george floyd being even approached for by police? that would warrant using the force that you used? what was the reason he was apprehended in the way he was apprehended? and why is the attempt being made by the defense to talk about what was the stimulants that may have been in george floyd, what would be the stimulant that would make a man hold his knee on a man's neck for 8:46? >> yes. >> i have asked people around

the world to join us today at 8:46, in a few minutes, the family and attorneys and i are going to take a knee for 8:46. when i did the eulogy here in indianapolis of george floyd and we had people stand that long, people tweeted all over the world after three minutes they were tired. what kind of venom, what kind of hatred do you have that would make you keep pressing down that long while a man is begging for his life, while a man is asking for his mother? at what point does your humanity kick in? at what point does the letter of the law kick in? and at what point do you say wait a minute, the guidelines kick in? this was not eight seconds. many it was not a flash of anger. it became intentional and

deliberate and just must be intentional and deliberate in this courthouse. >> yes! >> just like we came last year to be with this family, we told them we'd be here until the end, and we will be in and out until the end, and we want it to end for justice but make no mistake about it, chavin is in the courtroom but america is on trial. america is on trial to see if we have gotten to the place where we can hold police accountable if they break the law. the law is for everybody. policemen are not above the law. policemen are subject to the law and that's what's going on in this courtroom and that's why we are here. the other thing we are dealing with is that there is a law that has already passed the house of

representatives called the george floyd justice in policing act. it is now headed into the senate. we are asking the senate to pass that law so that the federal law can be there to prevent george floyd from happening again. we stand in the shadow with this family in the courthouse to say there's a jury in here and a jury in the u.s. senate. and the u.s. senate needs to make federal law in the name of george floyd that would deal with all of this that would supersede state laws that give escape routes to policemen. i was in the room in houston, texas, where then candidate joe biden met with his family and promised that if he became president, he would fight for

justice. he has supported this bill. mr. president, madam vice president, majority leader schumer, they're going into this courtroom having faith in staple that has been broken for eric garner, whose mother is here, that is broken for fred, whose family here and broken for others. we will stand up with dignity with this family. we need to stand up with the dignity of the people in this country. make no mistake about it, there were videos before and you didn't give us justice! there was video with rodney king and it went to court and let those police become acquitted. there was a video of eric garner that never got to court. you have the opportunity to make it right this time and make it right for the country. you will never be able to bring this family's brother back! you will never fill that hole

but you can, in his name, stop this from continuing to happen over and over and over again. let me say all of those that have marched down through the last several months, many with us, many on our own. white, black, old, young, doesn't matter. the intergenerational, interracial communities that have marched is the reason why we're in this courtroom. it was the reason that there is even a shot at justice. and we thank them for marching. are we at 8:46? >> 30 seconds. >> we've got 30 seconds. let us prepare to take a knee. >> tell us why we are doing this again, rev. >> why we are taking a knee, for 8:46, and we want you to think

during that time why chavin didn't in that time get his knee up. s. >> everybody down in front. >> if i move that, it's going to collapse. okay, let's go.

one minute. >> isn't that something? that's why i want to do it. >> not even two minutes. >> not even halfway there. two minutes! two minutes! tired already. think about this. we even halfway there and you're

ready to get up. three minutes!

rev lend al sharpton leading a group that is kneeling in recognition of the amount of time that derek chauvin was kneeling on george floyd's neck. we heard from jorng floyd's family and a number of the floyd family lawyers over the next few minutes as we await the starlt of today's trial. i want to bring back shaquille brewster. you're just a few feet away and now all of these people neiling, what is it like there? >> that's right, it is really emotional.

we got the sense that the family was trying to emphasize how emotional of a product this will be as they watch this trial continue. this trial has been going on for about three weeks at this point, but today is when the heart of the trial comes. we're getting into the heart of it their opening statements is accused of killing george floyd. it will likely give the defense a chance to poke holes in the case, and they will start to elude to things that viewers may hear for the first time. some of the things about george floyd that they are hearing for the first time. arguments that the defense are making. right now they're still on their knee kneeling. i want to make a quick note

about this specific trim. that 8:46 is the specific time that the prosecutors initially said that derek chauvin was kneeling on him. but in court filings later, months and weeks later, they made clear they got that number wrong. they're saying in new court filings that it is likely closer to 9:30. if you heard them reference nine-and-a-half minutes, it's a shift in that 8:46 time. you see that symbolic value that they continue to use. >> thank you, i would like to bring in eddie, an msnbc contributor and a deer friend of mine. also paul henderson, and mark claxton, a retired nypd director and director of the black law

enforcement alliance. what is your reaction to what we just saw? >> it's all too familiar in one sense, right? a family bereaving in public. and they're making a bet that this time the justice system will deliver. they send the message that black people will get off. we also hear the skipt schism. >> paul, from a prosecutors perspective, was this impactful of the trial? >> it was impactful because it is reflective of the rest of this. they are forming opinions about what is going on and what is really at stake in this trial.

what i thought was important was hearing the community and the advocates talking about the different tracks of accountability and in justice, and in tieing that definition of justice into the civil settlement and this criminal trial. and what was unspoken was that third track of civil and administrative justice and that is internal and external based on the policies for the civilian oversight agencies. the police department itself, and their policies, speaking of of these that absolutely they are talking about. this single prosecution doesn't address in total -- >> no justice. no peace. no justice. no peace. >> the federal level to address

a lot of the disparities that we know to exist and specifically with african-american men and we know the use of force sta statistics. i would argue there is a third track of justice where you evaluate bad conduct from law enforcement and the history in this country of other folks not receiving the justice they deserve in spite of the videos that we have seen. and so that is the significance of what we're watching unfold. outside of the courtroom tied to what is happened inside of the courtroom, and this is all before we start evaluating the rulings that lead us up to these openings statements that we're about to watch this morning,

that's what is important. >> mark as a former police officer, how do you watch what is happening today? i mean we rarely see police face criminal charges for on duty shootings or killings. chauvin is facing three. >> just as reverend sharpton, the family, and the attorney that's have rebuttaled activities in the weeks before this trial started, the police and their proponents and advocates presenting information and trying to put in position the case, the discussion around the case, surrounding mr. floyd as opposed to the conduct of derek chauvin. that is doesn't with police culture and and con duck historically in these cases. so just as they're focusing in

on more of the prosecutorial standpoint or viewpoint, there will be others who will continue this march towards trying to isolate and individualize george floyd as the bad actor in this particular case and trying to exonerate or insulate derek chauvin. they are saying this is a case of blue lives matter, the thin blue line, the support of police values, as opposed to focusing on the individual conduct of derek chauvin. the challenge with toxic police culture coming into play that there are many in the ranks of police across the station that know the realities of what occurred there that understand it inside and out. they have issues and problems

and realize that the criminal liability of derek chauvin and they will be pulled into the cluster of police conduct. even though they may feel deferent willly about a particular case. and that is what takes over in these type of cases. it is us against them and that's the position they will put out. eddie, this is the biggest civil rights trial that we have seen in decades. >> we have to break the back of the traditional racial american theater. something horrible happens. there are brief, protests, an attempt to hold some people to justice. then we fail and we go back to our way of life. we have to break the back of that theater and we have to

break the back of the state of exception. people are often views as exceptions and we have to finally mablg ourselves in a context anew. >> thank you for watching, that wrachs up this hour. hallie jackson has breaking news coverage right now. >> right now our special coverage on msnbc. one of the highest are profile murder trials in modern u.s. history. they are set to begin the trial of derek chauvin.