Derek Chauvin’s Request for a New Trial Denied Hours Before Sentencing

Derek Chauvin’s request for a new trial was denied Friday by Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill.

Attorneys for the former Minneapolis police officer filed the request for new proceedings just two weeks after Chauvin was found guilty in the death of George Floyd last year.

They alleged that misconduct by the judge, prosecutors and jurors compromised Chauvin’s right to a fair trial. They also accused the court of abusing its discretion by refusing to move the trial to another city and not adequately shielding the jury from pretrial publicity.

Cahill denied the motion, stating that Chauvin failed to demonstrate he was deprived of his constitutional right to a fair trial.

The judge’s decision comes just hours before Chauvin will be sentenced. Proceedings are expected to begin around 1:30 p.m. Central time, or 2:30 Eastern time.

In April, a jury convicted the ex-officer on three counts: unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Under Minnesota law, Chauvin will be sentenced for only the most serious offense.

Chauvin waived his right to have the jury determine his sentence, so Cahill will be responsible for making the determination. The prosecutors have requested a sentence of 30 years in prison.

This is a developing story and will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

In this photo provided by the Minnesota Department of Corrections, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin poses for a booking photo after his conviction on April 21. Chauvin was found guilty of all three charges in the murder of George Floyd and will be sentenced Friday. Minnesota Department of Corrections via Getty Images