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Derek Chauvin, the disgraced former Minneapolis Police officer found guilty of murdering George Floyd, plans to appeal the verdict.
Chauvin, who was found guilty of two counts of murder plus one count of manslaughter, was recently sentenced to over 22 years in prison, more than the 12 years prosecutors had hoped for.
Previously, former Officer Chauvin, who held his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes while Mr. Floyd begged for his life, was found guilty earlier this year for the May 2020 crime.
Chauvin claims judge abused his power
One of the main focal points in the guilty verdict was a video taken by bystander Darnella Frazier, who was awarded a special Pulitzer Prize for her bravery in the face of Mr. Floyd’s murder.
Meanwhile, former Officer Chauvin plans to appeal his conviction on 14 grounds, including accusations that the presiding judge abused his power during the trial.
In particular, former Office Chauvin claims he was denied the opportunity for the case to be moved out of his home county, and that jurors were not sequestered during the trial.
Moreover, former Office Chauvin also wants the appeal to be put off until he can appeal an earlier ruling by the Minnesota state Supreme Court which denied him a public defender attorney for his appeal case.
Chauvin’s legal defense fund dries up
Former Officer Chauvin stated he does not have an attorney for his plans to appeal, and that he does not have any financial resources other than his prison wages.
His case was initially funded by the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association’s legal defense fund. However that funding ended when the disgraced former officer was found guilty of killing Mr. Floyd.
Said Mr. Chauvin, “I have been informed that their obligation to pay for my representation terminated upon my conviction and sentencing.”
Former Officer Chauvin recently pled not guilty in another case during which he restrained a teenager in 2017 in a similar way to the method he used against Mr. Floyd, but did not cause the victim’s death in that case. He also faces similar civil charges for violating Mr. Floyd’s civil rights.
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