Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin is set to seek the U.S. Supreme Court’s review of his second-degree murder conviction in the killing of George Floyd, following the Minnesota Supreme Court’s recent refusal to hear his case, according to his attorney.
The announcement Wednesday has drawn criticism in a case that made global headlines and led to civil unrest over racial injustices. Supporters of the former cop are also coming to his defense, claiming Floyd died of an overdose instead of the result of Chauvin’s knee being pressed into his body.
The Minnesota Supreme Court’s one-page order Tuesday offered no commentary as it rejected Chauvin’s petition, thereby upholding his 22 1/2-year sentence.
Derek Chauvin, who is white, planted his knee onto George Floyd’s neck for 9 1/2 minutes outside a convenience store. Floyd, a Black man, had been suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill.
The fatal interaction was caught on video by a bystander, capturing Floyd’s desperate pleas of “I can’t breathe.” It sparked protests worldwide, some of which turned violent, and initiated a national racial reckoning
Chauvin’s attorney, William Mohrmann, argued in their appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court that conducting the trial in Minneapolis in 2021 deprived…
Read the full article here