As attorneys in the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd’s death screen potential jurors, they’re on guard for anything that suggests jurors would help, or hurt, their side. Prosecution and defense attorneys get a number of “peremptory” challenges and they can ask the judge to dismiss potential jurors for other reasons, known as “for cause.” In peremptory challenges, attorneys can strike potential jurors without offering a reason, as long as it’s not perceived to be due to their race.
