Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s attorney asked an appeals court panel Wednesday to toss out his conviction for the murder of George Floyd, which sparked national unrest in 2020.
Chauvin’s attorney William Mohrman recounted the public nature of the trial and argued that the case should’ve been tried outside of Minneapolis. He further contended that Chauvin did not receive a fair trial.
DEREK CHAUVIN TRANSFERRED TO FEDERAL PRISON
“The primary issue on this appeal is whether a criminal defendant can get a fair trial consistent with constitutional requirements in a courthouse surrounded by concrete block, barbed wire, two armored personnel carriers, and a squad of National Guard troops, all of which or whom are there for one purpose: in the event that the jury acquits the defendant,” Mohrman told a Minnesota Court of Appeals panel, the Associated Press reported.
On May 25, 2020, Chauvin was caught on camera with his knee on the back of Floyd’s neck for about nine minutes. Floyd died during the encounter and was heard pleading, “I can’t breathe,” in video capturing the scene, which stoked outrage from the public and triggered mass protests against police brutality nationwide.
Police had been apprehending Floyd for suspected use of a counterfeit $20 bill. Floyd had low levels of fentanyl and methamphetamine in his system, according to medical examiners. Security footage did not appear to show him resisting arrest at the time he was restrained.
Neal Katyal, a special attorney for the state, countered that Chauvin got “one of the most transparent and thorough trials in our nation’s history” and shrugged off Mohrman’s arguments, claiming they fell short of justifying an overturning of his conviction.
Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years behind bars after being found guilty of second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter, and third-degree murder charges. Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill presided over the state trial.
“Judge Cahill managed this trial with enormous care, and even if Chauvin could identify some minor fault, any error is harmless,” Katyal argued, per the Associated Press. “The evidence of Chauvin’s guilt was captured on video for the world to see.”
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Separately, Chauvin pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights charge and was hit with a 21-year prison sentence.
The appeals court is expected to make a decision on the appeal within 90 days.
