Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is seeking a new trial in the murder of George Floyd. Chauvin has served five years of his 22½-year sentence.
Chauvin was convicted of murder charges. Chauvin and officers Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao were found guilty on federal charges of violating Floyd's civil rights.
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In 2021, Judge Peter Cahill sentenced Chauvin to more than the recommended 12.5 years because Chauvin occupied a position of authority as a police officer, and because he demonstrated particular cruelty in the killing.
His attorney filed court documents asking that three criminal convictions be vacated. The filing accuses prosecutors of misconduct and argues that false testimony from expert witnesses deprived Chauvin of a fair trial.
This is not the first time Chauvin has sought to overturn the verdict.
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Chauvin's attorney previously appealed the verdict and asked for the charges to be removed because of the publicity surrounding the case, and because of procedural errors that affected the possibility of a fair trial. One juror in the case had participated in a civil rights gathering commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr., and did not disclose that participation until after Chauvin's trial had concluded.
An appeals court found the lower court was appropriately cautious and thorough in hearing the case and handling the jury, despite the media attention.
Separately, Chauvin was sentenced in federal court in 2022 to 252 months plus time served for violating the civil rights of Floyd and a then-14-year-old victim. The Justice Department held that Chauvin used unreasonable force against Floyd and against the other victim.
