The former Minneapolis police officer made 14 objections to his murder and manslaughter convictions and is seeking appointment of a public defender. Reports Courthouse News
OAK PARK HEIGHTS, Minn. (CN) — Derek Chauvin, representing himself, appealed his convictions for the murder of George Floyd, arguing Thursday that Judge Peter Cahill allowed prosecutorial misconduct, misstated the law in jury instructions, fumbled its handling of jury selection and misconduct and allowed prosecutors to lead witnesses.
In a court filing late Thursday night, the former Minneapolis police officer also argued that his highly-publicized trial was improperly held in Minneapolis despite heavy public scrutiny and should have included testimony from Floyd acquaintance Morries Hall. The court should also have kept a record of sidebar conversations, he said, and permitted evidence regarding a previous arrest where Floyd appeared to hide pills in his mouth.
Floyd’s death in May 2020 after Chauvin knelt on his neck for several minutes was the flashpoint for protests and riots in Minneapolis and then around the world. Chauvin’s conviction in April of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter spawned celebrations in the city’s streets, but disputes over the future of the police force that employed him for over 19 years have continued.
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