Derek Chauvin, a former officer in George Floyd case, sees 3rd-degree murder charge

According to KARE11, a Minneapolis judge denied the third-degree murder charge of former police officer Derek Chauvin on Thursday.

Judge Peter Cahill held up to eight other charges stemming from Chauvin’s role in George Floyd’s death in May 2020, including second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Chauvin was featured in a video kneeling on Floyd’s neck for about eight minutes before he died, prompting protests across the country.

Cahill also continued the charges against Floyd, Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, and three other former officers allegedly involved in the deaths of J. Alexander Kueng, accused of aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

Attorney General Keith Ellison, who heads the case’s prosecutor’s office, praised the judge’s decision on Thursday, calling it “an important, positive step on the road to justice”.

Ellison said, “The court maintained eight of the nine charges against the defendants in the murder of George Floyd, including the most serious charges against four defendants. This means that all four defendants will be tried for murder and manslaughter. Second instance … The decision to drop only one of the smaller charges – while leaving all charges against the other three defendants intact – is based on how the appellate courts interpreted the statute. ”

Chauvin was released on $ 1 million bail earlier this month, according to CNN.