Spiegel Stuff: The Hill's 12:30 Report - Derek Chauvin trial continues | Video of George Floyd’s death shown on Day 1 | Biden announces diverse judicial nominees | COVID-19 cases surge, fourth wave looms | WHO report on COVID-19 origins | Likely came from animals, not lab | Trump launches official website

HAPPENING TODAY

Via The Hill’s Marty Johnson, “The murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who faces three criminal counts for the death of George Floyd, began Monday in downtown Minneapolis with the replaying of the harrowing last moments of Floyd’s life.” https://bit.ly/2O6kElf

Including the harrowing video: “Graphic cellphone footage showing Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for roughly nine minutes was carried live on cable television on the first day of the highest-profile criminal case in recent memory.”

Five takeaways heading into Day 2:

Harrowing video is first day's most compelling moment
Cause of death emerges as pivotal point
911 dispatcher is first day's big witness
Defense focuses on 'common sense'
Burden of proof

Context and details for each: https://bit.ly/2O6kElf

How to watch the trial — here’s the livestream: https://bit.ly/2QV43lz

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS:

Here is the questionnaire that was given to screen potential jurors: Via The New York Times, here’s the 14-page document of questions: https://nyti.ms/39pg74U

An MMA fighter is testifying today: A professional mixed martial arts fighter who happened to be on the scene. Details: “Donald Wynn Williams II began testifying Monday as the third witness in the trial. Relying on his own MMA experience, he said that Chauvin performed a ‘blood choke’ on Floyd and adjusted his positioning several times to maintain pressure on Floyd's neck.” https://cnn.it/39rvlGC

Witness, Donald Williams, describes the incident: Here’s video: https://bit.ly/3wbuQKq

Watch: https://bit.ly/3foPqkn

CHECK OUT TODAY’S FRONT PAGES OF THE NEW YORK TIMES AND WASHINGTON POST:

https://bit.ly/39t0lFV

It’s Tuesday — tomorrow is the last day of March. How did that happen?? I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com — and follow along on Twitter @CateMartel and Facebook.

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Forty years ago today:

© Twitter

NEWS THIS MORNING

COVID-19 likely came from animals, not a lab:

Via The Hill’s Peter Sullivan, “A report from a team of international experts convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) finds that the coronavirus most likely jumped from animals to humans and calls a lab leak theory ‘extremely unlikely.’" https://bit.ly/31tRTls

What we know: “The report, written jointly with Chinese scientists, does not reach a definitive conclusion on one origin but called it ‘a likely to very likely pathway’ that the virus started in bats or another animal, then jumped to another animal before going to humans.”

IN THE WHITE HOUSE

I pick you! And you! And you and you and you!:

Via The Hill’s Morgan Chalfant and Harper Neidig, “President Biden on Tuesday announced his first slate of federal judicial nominees, a diverse group that includes Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as a nominee for the powerful U.S. appeals court in Washington.” https://bit.ly/2QUWjjv

What to know: “Biden’s first group of 11 judicial nominees include several women and people of color.”

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood!:

IN CONGRESS

I am biting my lip — ‘Many Capitol rioters unlikely to serve jail time’:

Via Politico’s Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney, “Americans outraged by the storming of Capitol Hill are in for a jarring reality check: Many of those who invaded the halls of Congress on Jan. 6 are likely to get little or no jail time.” https://politi.co/3w96Fw6

Why: “While public and media attention in recent weeks has been focused on high-profile conspiracy cases against right-wing, paramilitary groups like the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys, the most urgent decisions for prosecutors involve resolving scores of lower-level cases that have clogged D.C.’s federal district court.”

The numbers so far: “A POLITICO analysis of the Capitol riot-related cases shows that almost a quarter of the more than 230 defendants formally and publicly charged so far face only misdemeanors. Dozens of those arrested are awaiting formal charges, even as new cases are being unsealed nearly every day.”

The full story: https://politi.co/3w96Fw6

MEANWHILE — DEMOCRATS ARE SEIZING ON VOTING RIGHTS TO ENERGIZE THEIR BASE:

Via The Hill’s Jonathan Easley and Brett Samuels: https://bit.ly/3m3d2fX

DEMS WRESTLE OVER TAX HIKES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE:

Via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton: https://bit.ly/3cCB7qR

LATEST WITH THE CORONAVIRUS

Read the room, COVID!:

“New coronavirus cases in the United States have surged by double digits over the last seven days, as the country prepares for another potentially deadly wave of infections and hospitalizations in the coming weeks.” https://bit.ly/3frCri4

Tidbit — this tweet has more than 44k likes already:

‘Take a chance, make it happen, Pop a cork, fingers snappin':

^ Does anyone else remember this catchy Foxwoods commercial??: Here’s the throwback video: https://bit.ly/39s7F4K

Anyway, via CNN’s Ali Zaslav, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is asking “all Republican men” to get the COVID-19 vaccine. https://cnn.it/3u5ROR9

Why specifically Republican men?: Because polling shows that Republican men are the most skeptical of the shot.

In McConnell’s words: "I can say as a Republican man, as soon as it was my turn, I took the vaccine. I would encourage all Republican men to do that.”

McConnell also said: There’s "no good argument not to get the vaccination. I would encourage all men regardless of party affiliation to get the vaccination.”

NEW— 68 PERCENT ARE SATISFIED WITH THE VACCINE ROLLOUT:

According to a new Gallup poll: https://bit.ly/3rBoZdZ

CASE NUMBERS:

Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 30,335,188

U.S. death toll: 550,121

Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y

VACCINATION NUMBERS:

Total number of vaccinations administered in the U.S.: 146 million shots have been given.

Seven-day average of doses administered: An average of 2.76 million doses

For context: The U.S. population is roughly 331 million.

Breakdown of the numbers: https://bloom.bg/3iVTPLH

IN MAR-A-LAGO

A new URL in town:

Former President Trump and former first lady Melania Trump have launched a website for supporters. The website has been pegged as "the official website of the 45th President of the United States.” https://bit.ly/2PkY0pF

The website: 45office.com — check it out: https://bit.ly/2PcYFd0

NOTABLE TWEETS:

What a beautiful place for a walk:

Ahhh, good content. Good content.:

ON TAP:

The House and Senate are out. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C.

10:15 a.m. EDT: President Biden and Vice President Harris received the President’s Daily Brief.

WHAT TO WATCH:

Today: Day 2 of the murder trial against Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd. Livestream: https://bit.ly/2Pmcd5V

12:30 p.m. EDT: White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3wf4OFZ

2 p.m. EDT: President Biden signs the PPP Extension Act of 2021 into law. Vice President Harris and Small Business Administration Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman attend.
Livestream: https://bit.ly/39naqEv

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...:

Today is National Hot Chicken Day.

Guess what day it is?!:

Via Popville, Washington, D.C.’s new Cheesecake Factory is open for business! Details: https://bit.ly/2QRVTu7

Photos of the outdoor seating set up today: https://bit.ly/2O7u2VN

And because you made it this far, here’s a mama bear trying to wrangle her cubs.

This video has more than 13.6 million views: