The Supreme Court will not accept Derek Chauvin’s appeal to review his murder conviction in the 2020 death of George Floyd, overturning the former Minneapolis police officer’s latest attempt to seek a new trial.
Chauvin was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison for the murder of Floyd, a black man who died after Chauvin – who is white – knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes. Earlier this year, Chauvin’s lawyers asked the Minnesota Court of Appeals to overturn his conviction, arguing that he did not receive a fair trial because of pretrial publicity and fears of violence if he were acquitted. The appeals court rejected his request in April, and the Minnesota Supreme Court declined to review the decision in July.
His lawyers then took his request to the U.S. Supreme Court, which also declined to hear the appeal on Monday.
Floyd’s killing — and the graphic video of Chauvin kneeling on his neck — sparked a national protest movement against police brutality. Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in April 2021 after a week televised trial. His conviction marked the first time a white police officer was convicted of killing a black person in Minnesota, according to Minnesota Public Radio.
Chauvin pleaded guilty to violating Floyd’s civil rights in federal court and is serving his state and federal sentences concurrently.
The Supreme Court’s rejection Monday means Chauvin, who is also trying to have his federal conviction overturned, will remain behind bars for at least a decade.
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