George Floyd murder conviction upheld.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals has affirmed former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s second-degree murder conviction and his 22 1/2-year sentence for the killing of George Floyd.

Chauvin’s attorney had appealed the conviction for various reasons, including the extensive pretrial publicity and legal and procedural errors. However, the three-judge panel decided otherwise and agreed with prosecutors that Chauvin received a fair trial and just sentence.

Background of George Floyd’s killing

George Floyd died on May 25, 2023, after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, used his knee to pin Floyd’s neck to the ground for 9 1/2 minutes. A bystander video captured Floyd’s cries of “I can’t breathe.” His death sparked global protests against police brutality and racism.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who led the prosecution team, expressed gratitude that everyone, regardless of the offense’s seriousness, is entitled to due process and fair treatment under the law.

Appeal arguments and court ruling

Chauvin’s attorney, William Mohrman, argued that the trial judge should have moved the case out of Minneapolis and sequestered the jury due to the extensive pretrial publicity and safety concerns. Mohrman also focused on one juror who participated in a civil rights event a few months after Floyd’s death, which only came to light after the trial.

The court of appeals ruling, however, stated that Judge Peter Cahill did not abuse his discretion in deciding these issues. Appellate courts rarely micromanage how judges run trials and give them wide discretion.

Conviction of third-degree murder not addressed

The appeals court did not address whether it was legally permissible to convict Chauvin of third-degree murder. The defense argued that a 2023 Supreme Court decision in a different police-killing case that clarified the definition of that crime meant the law no longer fit the facts of Floyd’s killing. The appeals court noted, however, that the trial judge never formally adjudicated or sentenced Chauvin on that count.

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