Alternate juror discusses the Chauvin trial and the personal effects of the protests

An alternate juror for the Derek Chauvin trial, Lisa Christensen, told NBC she would have voted that the former police officer be found guilty of murdering George Floyd. Floyd’s death sparked riots nationwide. On Tuesday, Chauvin was convicted of  second degree manslaughter, as well as second- and third-degree murder. Chauvin is now awaiting sentencing. Christensen spoke to multiple outlets since the trial, but as of publication of this piece, none of the voting jurors have spoken to the media.

Christensen, who lives in Brooklyn Center where Daunte Wright was fatally shot by police last week told NBC, "I felt he was guilty on a certain level, but I wasn't sure to what level."

Christensen told NBC affiliate Kare 11 reporter Lou Raguse that one night she could barely hardly make it home after a day of testimony because of protesters blocking intersections. She added that she was aware of the civil settlement the city of Minneapolis made paid to the Floyd family and was surprised it was announced beforehand. Christensen claimed she knew civil cases are different with different rules and that it did not affect her.

Christensen claimed the ongoing protests in the area "did not impact me as far as the trial went. However, only being about six blocks from the police department, I could hear everything. When I came home, I could hear the helicopters flying over my house... I could hear the flash bangs going off. If I stepped outside, I could see the smoke from the grenades. One day, the trial ran a little late, and I had trouble getting to my house, because the protesters were blocking the interstate, so I had to go way around. I was aware, but it did not affect me at all."

Ragues added that "Christensen told me she and the other jurors didn’t even share their real names and occupations with each other. Just called each other by juror number. Got along but mostly made small talk. Concerned about saying 'too much.'"

She told the outlet that the testimony of Dr. Martin Tobin, was memorable. Tobin testified that 91.5 pounds, half of Chauvin's body weight and half the weight of his gear, were on Floyd's neck in one section of the now infamous video taken of the incident.

"I understood everything he said, I thought it might be over my head cause it was you know medical, but what was so powerful to me is he pointed out when Mr. Floyd actually lost his life. Like pointed it right down to that minute, explaining like this is the point where he's having that seizure and now he's not breathing anymore."

Christensen added that prior to the trial, she had never watched the entire video of Floyd's arrest. "It almost seemed like halfway through the video, something should have been done for sure. Like there was a crisis after the four minute mark pretty much. We need to do something, this guy is in trouble."

She also didn't believe Chauvin decision not to testify would have made a difference in the outcome of the case. Christensen said that Chauvin "would have incriminated himself even further."