Ex-officer Derek Chauvin loses appeal for a new trial in the murder of George Floyd

N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY
Updated ·2 min read
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The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday rejected former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin's appeal for a new trial over the 2020 killing of George Floyd.

Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison in 2021 after he was found guilty of murder and manslaughter. Three years ago, he was seen on video kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes, sparking protests around the world and a national reckoning on police brutality and systemic racism.

William Mohrman, Chauvin's attorney, asked the state appeals court to reverse his conviction last year, arguing legal and procedural errors deprived him of a fair trial.

Mohrman said Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill should have moved the trial out of Minneapolis and sequestered the jury because of factors including the extensive pretrial publicity, protests and safety concerns outside the courthouse, and a $27 million city settlement for the family.

Neal Katyal, a special attorney for the state, said Cahill carefully managed the trial, which was livestreamed, and Chauvin got “one of the most transparent and thorough trials in our nation’s history."

A three-judge panel unanimously upheld Chauvin's conviction Monday.

"Police officers undoubtedly have a challenging, difficult and sometimes dangerous job," Presiding Judge Peter Reyes wrote in the 50-page decision. "However, no one is above the law. When they commit a crime, they must be held accountable just as those individuals that they lawfully apprehend. The law only permits police officers to use reasonable force when effecting a lawful arrest. Chauvin crossed that line here when he used unreasonable force on Floyd."

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, the lead prosecutor in the case, said in a statement he was grateful for the court's decision.

"Today, my thoughts are today with the family of George Floyd and the communities that have suffered because of his death," Ellison said. "We cannot bring Floyd back, but I hope today’s decision brings another measure of justice."

Chauvin is also serving a 21-year federal sentence for violating Floyd's civil rights.

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Contributing: The Associated Press

Contact Breaking News Reporter N'dea Yancey-Bragg at nyanceybra@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @NdeaYanceyBragg

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: In George Floyd's murder, Derek Chauvin denied appeal for new trial