Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chavin is changing his plea in the federal civil rights case against him in the 2020 death of George Floyd.
The federal charges included two counts alleging that Chauvin denied Floyd of his rights by kneeling on his neck as he was handcuffed. Floyd was not resisting at the time. He then failed to provide medical care.
Chauvin pleaded not guilty to the charges in September. The plea will mean that Chauvin will not have to go to trial, but he will likely receive additional time behind bars.
Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for killing Floyd. He was sentenced to 22 and half years in state prison.
In October, The Minnesota Supreme Court denied his request for a public defender.
Chauvin has submitted a filing requesting for a public defender to represent him during the appeal of his murder conviction and sentencing.
The court ruled that Chauvin was ineligible because he did not meet its financial hardship threshold.
“A defendant is financially unable to obtain counsel if “the defendant, through any combination of liquid assets and current income, would be unable to pay the reasonable costs charged by private counsel” for defense of the matter,” part of the decision reads.
Chauvin claims he owes the Internal Revenue Service about $60,000 and at least $37,000 to the state of Minnesota. He also wrote in his affidavit that he is currently using his “nominal prison wages” to pay off fees from his trial. He says his only other sources of income are his retirement funds.
