The Supreme Court said Monday that it will not hear former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s appeal of his second-degree murder conviction in the May 2020 death of George Floyd.
Chauvin was found guilty by a state court in April 2021 and sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison in connection with Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020, which sparked nationwide riots and a prolonged debate about race relations in America.
The high court did not say why it declined to take the appeal and did not indicate whether any judges would hear the case.
Chauvin, 47, also appealed his conviction and 21-year sentence on separate federal charges related to Floyd’s death. The sentence was not considered by the high court.
The ex-policeman’s lawyer argued that their client was denied a fair trial because of the publicity surrounding the case and fears of potential violence if he is released.
“Mr. Chauvin’s case demonstrates the profound difficulty that trial courts must address to ensure a criminal defendant’s right to a consistently fair jury when extreme cases arise,” Chauvin’s legal team told the Supreme Court.
Derek Chauvin argued that the intensely public nature of his trial poisoned public opinion and prevented him from getting a fair shake.AP Footage shows Derek Chauvin with his knee on George Floyd’s neck.AP
“This is especially true here when the jury itself has an interest in finding Mr. Chauvin guilty to prevent further unrest in the communities in which they live and the possible threat of physical harm to them or their families.”
About nine minutes of harrowing cellphone footage shows Chauvin putting his knee on Floyd’s neck despite pleas from the 46-year-old black man that he couldn’t breathe.
Floyd was arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill when Chauvin confronted him. A medical examiner concluded that his recent use of methamphetamine and fentanyl may have contributed to his death.
Chauvin’s legal team argued his case to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, but that court upheld his conviction in April and refused to grant him a new trial.
The Supreme Court is very selective about which cases it takes.AP
Later in July, the highest court in Minnesota upheld the lower court’s decision, leading to a request to the US Supreme Court.
The nine-member Supreme Court receives about 7,000 case requests on average each year and usually accepts only between 90 and 150 of them.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
