Entertainment

Former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin appeals his conviction for murdering George Floyd

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has filed an appeal against his conviction for murdering George Floyd, arguing that he was deprived of a fair trial by the decision not to move proceedings to another city.

Advertisement

 

Chauvin was convicted in April 2021 of killing Floyd in May 2020. The former Minneapolis police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck during arrest, despite Floyd’s pleas that he could not breathe.

Advertisement

 

The officer was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison in June 2021, and has been behind bars in Arizona since then.

Advertisement

 

Advertisement

On Wednesday May 17, Chauvin filed a case before Minnesota Supreme Court claiming that he was not given a fair trial.

 

Advertisement

The petition came a month after he lost his appeal before the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

 

Advertisement

His attorney, William Mohrman, argued that the conviction was unfair for multiple reasons, including the massive pretrial publicity and the intense feeling of sympathy towards Floyd in the city of Minneapolis.

 

Advertisement

But the three-judge panel last month sided with prosecutors who said Chauvin received a fair trial and just sentence.

Advertisement

 

His latest appeal reprises several of the same arguments.

Advertisement

‘We’re very hopeful that the Minnesota Supreme Court will accept review of the case,’ Mohrman said.

 

Advertisement

The Minnesota Supreme Court could agree to hear Chauvin’s appeal, in which case it would ask each side for detailed briefs and later set a date for oral arguments. Or it could decline to take the case, and let the Court of Appeals ruling stand.

 

Advertisement

Morhman wrote in the petition that the case presents the state Supreme Court with important questions on ‘developing and clarifying due process requirements to transfer venue when there is unprecedented pervasive pretrial publicity coupled with community violence.’

Advertisement

 

He also wrote that it raises issues about rules regarding juror misconduct.

Advertisement

One juror participated in a civil rights event commemorating the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington, D.C., a few months after Floyd’s death.

 

Advertisement

Only after the trial did the juror reveal that he had been there.

 

Advertisement

The Court of Appeals declined to send the case back to the trial judge for a hearing on whether the juror’s nondisclosure constituted misconduct.

 

Advertisement

Chauvin pleaded guilty to a separate federal civil rights charge and was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison, which he is now serving in Arizona concurrent with his state sentence.

Advertisement
citynews

Recent Posts

GTCO Plc Releases 2024 Q1 Unaudited Results …….. Reports Profit Before Tax of ₦509.3billion

    Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO or the Group) has released its Unaudited…

2 hours ago

AFRIMA Hosting Rights: African Union Writes Nigeria, South Africa

  The African Union Commission (AUC) has officially invited the governments of Nigeria and South…

8 hours ago

I want to start fellowship group – Toke Makinwa

Nollywood actress and media personality Toke Makinwa has announced plans to start a Christian fellowship.…

13 hours ago

Daniel Anjorin’s GoFundMe campaign soars past the £100,000

Within just two days, a GoFundMe campaign honouring Daniel Anjorin has soared past the £100,000…

13 hours ago

Black Market Dollar (USD) To Naira (NGN) Exchange Rate Today 4th May 2024

What is the Dollar to Naira Exchange rate at the black market also known as…

14 hours ago

Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Saturday, 4th May, 2024

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to CityNews roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Saturday, 4th…

15 hours ago