MINNEAPOLIS – Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin appears to be about to plead guilty to violating George Floyd’s civil rights, according to a court announcement.
A federal entry on Monday showed a hearing was scheduled for Wednesday for Chauvin to change his existing guilty plea in the case. These types of notices indicate that the defendant is intending to plead guilty. The court system also sent instructions to the media attending the hearing.
Chauvin was found guilty of state murder and manslaughter for resting his knee on Floyd’s neck when the Black man said he couldn’t breathe during his May 25, 2020 arrest. 22 and a half years in the state case.
Chauvin and three other former officers – Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao – will be put on trial at the end of January on those charges.
The information sent out on Monday gave no indication that the other officers intended to plead guilty.
A message left for Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, was not immediately returned. The United States Attorney’s Office was unavailable for comment.
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