Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin intends to appeal his murder conviction in the George Floyd case to the U.S. Supreme Court. This announcement from his legal team comes after the Minnesota Supreme Court declined to review his case on Tuesday. Chauvin's lawyers plan to argue that the highly publicized nature of the 2021 trial, coupled with the intense political climate and fear of potential riots in Minneapolis, influenced the jury and prevented a fair hearing.
Attorney William Morhmann emphasized the unprecedented pretrial publicity surrounding the case, highlighting jurors' expressed safety concerns amidst the potential for further unrest. He pointed to the heightened security measures, including barbed wire around the courthouse and National Guard deployments, as evidence of the tense atmosphere.
Chauvin is currently serving a sentence of over 22 years for his role in Floyd's death. His appeal to the Supreme Court faces significant hurdles, given the court's limited docket. The Supreme Court receives thousands of appeals annually but typically hears only a small fraction of them.
Floyd died in May 2020 after Chauvin knelt on his neck for an extended period, ignoring Floyd's pleas that he couldn't breathe. This incident sparked widespread protests and civil unrest across the United States and internationally.
In addition to his state conviction, Chauvin pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges related to Floyd's death and received a concurrent 21-year federal sentence, which he is currently serving in Arizona.
The aftermath of Floyd's death saw significant unrest, including widespread protests and riots, with damage to property and businesses across the country.
