An attorney for Derek Chauvin has requested that the convictions for the murder of George Floyd be overturned, claiming that legal and procedural errors prevented a fair trial.
The incident occurred on May 25, 2020, when Chauvin, a white police officer, held George Floyd, a black man, down with his knee on his neck for 9 1/2 minutes.
Floyd’s cries of “I can’t breathe” were captured on video and his death led to widespread protests and a national examination of police brutality.
The attorney, William Mohrman, argued that the case should have been moved out of Minneapolis due to excessive pretrial publicity and heightened security concerns related to protests.
“Our argument here is that this case could not be tried in Minneapolis because of the pretrial publicity which was pervasive … and also just the physical pressure on the courthouse,” Mohrman said. “The primary issue on this appeal is whether a criminal defendant can get a fair trial consistent with constitutional requirements in a courthouse surrounded by concrete block, barbed wire, two armored personnel carriers, and a squad of National Guard troops, all of which or whom are there for one purpose: in the event that the jury acquits the defendant.”
An Appeals Judge said the court would rule within 90 days.
