
Live Updates: Closing arguments expected as Derek Chauvin trial nears end
CBSN
Closing arguments are expected Monday in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the fired Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd's death. The trial is nearing its end after more than 13 days of sometimes tense and emotional testimony at the heavily secured Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
The defense rested its case Thursday after Chauvin said he will not testify in his own defense. Prosecutors and a defense attorney have offered starkly different narratives to explain how Floyd died. A string of medical experts testified for the prosecution, saying the police restraint restricted oxygen to Floyd's body and caused his heart to stop. But defense attorney Eric Nelson argued a combination of Floyd's underlying heart disease, adrenaline and the fentanyl and methamphetamine he had ingested prior to the arrest amounted to a fatal combination. A forensic pathologist testified for the defense Wednesday there were so many factors involved that he considers the manner of Floyd's death to be undetermined. A county medical examiner found the death to be a homicide.
As federal policies and staffing levels rapidly change in the name of government efficiency and energy independence, historical sites across the United States — sites that help the public understand the cultures that came before them and built their communities of today — are in jeopardy of losing out on important federal protections. "National Park Service employees are deeply committed to preserving our public lands and serving visitors. At times, team members may step into a range of responsibilities outside their usual scope to help ensure continued access, safety, and stewardship across the park system. This flexibility reflects the dedication and collaborative spirit of our workforce.

Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys' visionary and fragile leader whose genius for melody, arrangements and wide-eyed self-expression inspired "Good Vibrations," "California Girls" and other summertime anthems and made him one of the world's most influential recording artists, has died, his family said in a statement posted to his website and social media. He was 82.