Author

Deena Winter has covered local and state government in four states over the past three decades, with stints at the Bismarck Tribune in North Dakota, as a correspondent for the Denver Post, city hall reporter in Lincoln, Nebraska, and regional editor for Southwest News in the western Minneapolis suburbs.
George Floyd’s girlfriend takes the stand; Chauvin’s supervisor says restraint should have stopped sooner
By: Deena Winter - April 1, 2021
The fourth day of testimony in Derek Chauvin’s trial revolved around George Floyd’s drug use and two paramedics’ conclusion that Floyd was dead by the time their ambulance arrived on the scene at Cup Foods. Takeaways from the trial Thursday: Floyd’s girlfriend acknowledges their opioid addiction George Floyd’s girlfriend, Courteney Ross, 45, gave jurors a […]
Cup Foods clerk regrets 911 call on George Floyd; Chauvin body cam footage played in third day of trial
By: Deena Winter - March 31, 2021
During the third day of testimony in Derek Chauvin’s trial for murder and manslaughter, the jury saw more videos from virtually every angle of the day George Floyd died in south Minneapolis. They heard from the 19-year-old clerk who sold Floyd cigarettes, and an elderly Black man who pleaded with Floyd while he was pinned […]
Chauvin trial Day 2 takeaways: “I believe I witnessed a murder.”
By: Deena Winter - March 30, 2021
The trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, charged with murder and manslaughter in the May 25 death of George Floyd, continued Tuesday, with testimony from six witnesses. Here are six takeaways from the trial Tuesday: Vocal witness: “I wasn’t being heard” Donald Williams II, a mixed martial arts fighter and the most vocal […]
George Floyd’s family, attorneys call for justice before opening statements in Chauvin trial
By: Deena Winter - March 29, 2021
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump stood outside the Hennepin County courthouse along with Rev. Al Sharpton and George Floyd’s relatives to demand justice in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. The news conference was scheduled minutes before opening statements in the trial of Chauvin, who is charged with second- and third-degree murder […]
Record-breaking Floyd settlement is bigger than the city’s already-anemic insurance fund
By: Deena Winter - March 26, 2021
The $27 million settlement of a civil lawsuit by the city of Minneapolis is one of the biggest police brutality payouts of its kind, eclipsing the balance in the city’s self-insurance fund and requiring the city to tap general fund reserves.
The Chauvin jury is more racially diverse than the city of Minneapolis
By: Deena Winter - March 23, 2021
The jury that will decide whether Derek Chauvin is guilty of murder or manslaughter in the death of George Floyd is more racially diverse than the state of Minnesota, Hennepin County or the city of Minneapolis. Among the 15 jurors selected — 12 jurors and three alternates — there are four Black people, nine white […]
Judge rules Derek Chauvin trial will remain in Minneapolis, ruling against a delay and venue change
By: Deena Winter - March 19, 2021
Derek Chauvin’s murder trial will go on, and won’t move elsewhere in the state, a judge decided Friday after a week of courtroom consternation over the city of Minneapolis’s announcement one week ago of a $27 million civil settlement with George Floyd’s family. Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill denied Chauvin’s attorney’s motion to delay […]
Chauvin attorney seeks delay, prospective juror dismissed after city settles with Floyd family
By: Deena Winter and Max Nesterak - March 15, 2021
The defense lawyer for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin made a flurry of motions Monday morning in response to an unprecedented $27 million settlement agreement announced Friday with the family of George Floyd, who died under Chauvin’s knee last May. Defense Attorney Eric Nelson said he was “gravely concerned” about the news, questioning the […]
Nearly half the jury in the Chauvin trial is seated: Here’s who they are
By: Deena Winter - March 12, 2021
By day’s end Thursday, nearly half the jury that will decide the fate of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin had been seated. They will render a verdict on Chauvin, who faces charges of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Jury selection is moving at a much faster pace than expected. Up to three […]
As the Chauvin trial begins, policing in Minneapolis remains largely unchanged
By: Deena Winter - March 9, 2021
As the historic trial of Derek Chauvin begins nearly a year after George Floyd died under Chauvin’s knee, Minneapolis has made some incremental steps to reform its police department and shift money away from traditional law enforcement to prevention. But aside from those relatively minor changes, the city’s public safety agenda is mired in bitter […]
Bipartisan effort would end driver’s license suspensions for unpaid tickets
By: Cinnamon Janzer and Deena Winter - March 2, 2021
On a recent Friday night, Lamont Fondern Jr. was driving to Walmart in Bloomington when he noticed a cop car behind him. He got nervous. The cop’s lights flashed as Fondern took an exit. He turned on Facebook Live. As a Black man getting pulled over, he said,“I needed someone to watch.” The officer told […]
City backs away from using social media influencers to spread ‘city-generated messages’ during Chauvin trial
By: Deena Winter - March 1, 2021
Minneapolis officials have scrapped a plan to use social media influencers to share information during the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin