Chauvin expected to plead guilty in Floyd civil rights case

In this image from video, defendant, former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin, arrives for the verdict in Chauvin's trial for the 2020 death of George Floyd, Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn. (Court TV via AP, Pool)

MINNEAPOLIS — Former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin appears to be on the verge of pleading guilty to violating George Floyd ‘s civil rights, a move that would remove him from a federal trial but could significantly increase the amount of time he’ll spend behind bars.

A notice sent out Monday by the court’s electronic filing system shows a hearing is scheduled for Wednesday for Chauvin to change his not guilty plea. These types of notices typically indicate a defendant is planning to plead guilty, though nothing will be official until it happens in court.

Chauvin has already been convicted of state murder and manslaughter charges for pinning his knee against Floyd’s neck as the Black man said he couldn’t breathe during a May 25, 2020 arrest. He was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in that case.

Source: CTV News