Derek Chauvin prosecutors ask Minnesota judge not to release names of jurors amid harassment concerns

Prosecutors asked a judge Monday to reject a request by a coalition of media outlets to unseal the names of the jurors who convicted ex-Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin of murder in the death of George Floyd.

The media coalition, which includes The Associated Press, asked Cahill earlier this month to release the information immediately, saying there was no known threat to juror safety that would warrant keeping their names sealed. Attorney Leita Walker said the media and public have a right to information about a jury, and that anonymous juries are rare and only allowed in exceptional circumstances, such as in cases involving gangs or organized crime. But lead prosecutor Matthew Frank argued in a response Monday that courts have ample authority to preserve juror anonymity from the "substantial probability of harassment." He noted that Cahill, in earlier orders, made specific and detailed findings that jurors in the Chauvin case could be subject to harassment or intimidation if their names became public too soon. And he said the media coalition is downplaying the risks.