ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A jury has been selected in the federal trial of three Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s killing.

Eighteen jurors were chosen after questioning by the judge on Thursday — 12 who will deliberate and six alternates.

J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are broadly charged with depriving Floyd of his civil rights while acting under government authority. Separately, they’re charged in state court with aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson stressed repeatedly to jurors that fellow Officer Derek Chauvin’s conviction on state murder charges and guilty plea to a federal civil rights violation should not influence the proceedings.

Legal experts say prosecutors in this case have the difficult task of proving the officers willfully violated Floyd’s constitutional rights. Specifically, they’re accused of unreasonably seizing him and depriving him of liberty without due process.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

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