By Jovonne Ledet
The Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal for Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis Police Officer who fatally knelt on George Floyd.
On Monday (November 20), Supreme Court justices let Chauvin’s conviction stand after his initial appeal to the highest court in Minnesota failed.
Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes during a May 2020 arrest, was convicted by jury on charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He has attempted to appeal his conviction and 22-year prison sentence multiple times.
The former officer claims that he was unlawfully denied a venue change amid high pretrial publicity. Chauvin also wanted SCOTUS justices to weigh whether his trial judge was obligated to hold a hearing amid allegations of juror misconduct.
Chauvin is also serving a 252-month sentence for violating Floyd’s civil rights during the May 2020 arrest. Chauvin is attempting to overturn that conviction, arguing that new evidence shows he didn’t cause Floyd’s death.
