Minnesota court rules judge must reconsider third-degree murder charge in George Floyd case
Source: Reuters
MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled on Friday that a lower court must reconsider a third-degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who is due to go on trial next week for the death of George Floyd last May.
Chauvin's trial was due to begin with jury selection in Minneapolis on Monday but that could be delayed as Judge Peter Cahill of the Hennepin County district court must now weigh again reinstating the third-degree murder charge.
Chauvin already faces a more serious charge of second-degree murder, which carries a sentence of up to 40 years in prison, as well as a charge of second-degree manslaughter. State prosecutors want the jury to also be able to consider a third-degree murder charge, which carries a sentence of up to 25 years in prison.
Videos show Chauvin, who is white, kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes on a sidewalk outside a grocery store on May 25 as he pleaded for his life and then stopped moving. Police were arresting him on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill at the store.
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