When a witness to George Floyd s killing choked up while testifying during the trial of three former Minneapolis police officers, U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson quickly stepped in, granting a defense attorney's request for a sidebar that defused the moment.
It was an example of how the 84-year-old judge has exerted a tight grip on proceedings, occasionally frustrating prosecutors with his determination to keep emotion to a minimum and move the case against Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane forward as quickly as possible amid a pandemic.
