Hello! It's Your Week with Paste BN
A video recorded through a car windshield. Footage from police body cameras. Security video from inside the store where George Floyd allegedly passed a fraudulent $20 bill.
Over the course of two weeks, jurors have seen many videos of Floyd's death. But will it help them reach a verdict in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin?
Welcome to Your Week, a newsletter for subscribers like you. I'm Alex, your guide to Paste BN's top stories from around the nation. Every Sunday in this newsletter, I'll spotlight reporting you can't miss — and give you a preview of what's to come.
As we await the jury's decision, I want to highlight the reporting made possible thanks to your investment in the truth. To cover this major national story, Paste BN has been on the ground in Minneapolis learning from and listening to the community for several weeks.
When national columnist Suzette Hackney and photojournalist Jarrad Henderson first went into George Floyd Square, "they put away their notebooks and cameras. They just talked to the neighbors before any reporting began. They now come and go freely," shared Paste BN Editor-in-Chief Nicole Carroll in her column, The Backstory.
Powerful journalism takes care and consideration. Thank you helping us build this trust.
Meet Peter Cahill, the judge orchestrating the trial
It's no small job to preside over the most emotionally charged criminal trial in the country. There are throngs of lawyers, reporters and witnesses. With the first live-streamed trial in Minnesota state court history, there's social media scrutiny, brand-new legal nuances and the looming possibility of an appeal. Welcome to the life of Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill.
I spoke with race and diversity reporter N'dea Yancey-Bragg, who profiled Judge Cahill. She's been reporting on the ground in Minneapolis for weeks.
Q: You've written about the impact that watching George Floyd die has had on witnesses. You've covered vigils and rallies in honor of his life. And you've offered a look inside the courtroom with daily coverage. How have you found focus in your reporting?
A: "Much of my day is spent watching the trial and reporting what happens. As I’m listening to lawyers ... what I have tried to keep top-of-mind is George Floyd himself. That he was a person with dreams and fears and a family, many of whom are watching the trial right along with me. I try to acknowledge that no matter what happens in that courtroom, his death has caused an immense amount of pain, especially for people who look like me. I imagine it is easy to dismiss concerns about police brutality when it doesn’t directly and disproportionately affect you or your community. I think centering the victims and letting people voice their collective trauma could change that."
- Listen: Hear from reporters in Chicago and Minneapolis in our 5 Things podcast.
- In Opinion: Why didn’t witnesses help George Floyd? They feared losing their own lives.
- More: First came the wave of protests over racial injustice. Then came the wave of bills to expand the crimes protesters could be charged with.
The best subscriber-only stories of the week
INVESTIGATIONS | As the military reckons with racism and extremism in its ranks, one story of the Maryland National Guard highlights the toll of discrimination. In 2015, white National Guard instructors allegedly forced a Black Guardsman to wear a heavy chain as discipline. Read the story, based on a scathing report obtained by Paste BN. By Tom Vanden Brook.
OLYMPICS | With facilities shut down much of the past year, American athletes have leaned on unusual tactics to prepare for this summer’s Olympics. How bizarre are we talking? Imagine a boxer smashing rocks with a sledgehammer. Or a diver doing flips on his kids' backyard trampoline. By Tom Schad.
CORONAVIRUS | Could we save lives by assigning each American a place in line for their vaccine? In short: Yes. Here's how vaccine microtargeting could save tens of thousands of lives during the next pandemic. By Aleszu Bajak.
NATION | The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, has long been a political football. It was created by Barack Obama, cancelled by Donald Trump and then reinstated by the Supreme Court. Now, a judge in Texas will rule on its constitutionality. “This place is my life, we want to stay where we grew up and keep our dreams,” says Jose Loyo, a robotics specialist at Indiana-based engine manufacturer Cummins. “We don’t know much about Mexico. Being told to go back, I can’t imagine that.” By Marco della Cava.
More of the week’s must-reads
- 13 investigations, no court-martials: Here's how the Navy and Marine Corps quietly discharged white supremacists.
- COVID-19 vaccine freebies such as gift cards, Krispy Kreme donuts: Are they a good or bad way to encourage shots?
- In Opinion: Every time I pull out my ID, I deadname myself. Transgender people can't live like this.
- Football wives say the NFL's race-norming is "most despicable," but their power could change history.
- What will live entertainment look like after COVID-19? Hybrid events for in-person and streaming crowds, plus more Zoom.
What’s coming
As we await a verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin, you can follow along with Paste BN's daily live blogs on your app and online, or sign up for live SMS texting and get updates delivered to your phone.
We're also watching for developments in the mass shooting that left eight people dead at a FedEx building in Indianapolis; Chicago protests in the wake of the fatal police shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo; and Minnesota after a Brooklyn Center police officer fatally shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop, which has prompted the question: How can a handgun be mistaken for a Taser?
See you next week.
Feel free to respond to this email, or you can reach me directly at alex@usatoday.com.