Jury selection was set to begin on Monday in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with the death of George Floyd.
Chauvin is currently charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for his role in the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody this summer. Jury selection was slated to begin today, but before the process could begin, Chauvin’s attorney called for a review of the charges on the grounds of new findings. Previously, a judge had dismissed third-degree murder charges and held that Chauvin should stand trial for offenses in the second degree. However, last week the Minnesota Court of Appeals issued an opinion stating that Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill was incorrect when he refused to reinstate a third-degree murder charge.
Charges Being Reviewed
Prior to jury selection, Eric Nelson, Chauvin’s lawyer, stated that he intends to file a petition for review with the Minnesota Supreme Court regarding the Court of Appeals’ decision on the third-degree murder charge. Assistant Minnesota Attorney General Matthew Frank argued this morning that jury selection and the trial itself should be delayed until the review is resolved. Under Minnesota law, Chauvin has 30 days to submit the petition and the state Supreme Court has 60 days to consider if they want to hear arguments in the case.
Despite the petition, Nelson said he and his team were prepared to move forward with jury selection and the trial. However, Frank pushed back, saying the review could force the first trial to end in a mistrial. In an effort to let the dust settle and figure out how the lawyers plan to proceed, the judge presiding over the case excused jurors for the reminder of the day with the intention of starting up again tomorrow.
This will be one of the highest profile cases in Minnesota history, and we’ll be here to help cover some of the bigger moments leading up to the verdict. And if you need legal help of your own in the Minneapolis area, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today. Give us a call today at (952) 224-2277.
