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Here's why Derek Chauvin may plead guilty to George Floyd’s murder in federal case

The former cop will reportedly plead guilty to violating George Floyd’s civil rights, changing his plea in the federal case according to court docus
UPDATED DEC 14, 2021
Booking photo of Derek Chauvin (Minnesota Department of Corrections)
Booking photo of Derek Chauvin (Minnesota Department of Corrections)

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin may have had a change of heart in the civil rights case he is currently facing. Court documents indicate Chauvin might have changed his plea from not guilty to guilty after he was indicted for his actions on May 25, 2020, that led to the death of George Floyd. This comes months after he first pled not guilty in the state case, which led to a dramatic trial at Hennepin County Courthouse in Minnesota. 

The trial concluded with Chauvin being found guilty, becoming one of the very few officers to face such a verdict. He is now serving a 22.5-year jail sentence at the Oak Park Heights City Jail. He will be eligible for parole, but only after serving at least 15 years of his sentence. With that case now done, Chauvin has to deal with the federal civil rights case, which could see him spend more time in jail.

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The convicted ex-cop won't be alone this time though. His colleagues from that day - Tou Thao, Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane - are all facing charges for their actions on May 25. The three are also facing their own state case after being charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. But for now, all eyes are on the federal case. 

Shannon Haynes talks to her son about George Floyd in front of a memorial on April 20, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Why Chauvin may have changed his plea

The news of Chauvin's change in plea comes from court documents filed at the US District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota. Reportedly, the docket entry shows a hearing has been scheduled for December 15, 2021 (Wednesday) for a change in plea. According to The Guardian, "These types of notices indicate a defendant is planning to plead guilty." A court spokesperson confirmed that hearing, telling CNN, "Whatever his initial plea was he has indicated he would like to change that plea."

Despite not being confirmed by Chauvin's attorney, the docket information does indicate Chauvin will now plead guilty. In that case, he won't face a trial as he did with the state case. It's unclear why exactly he decided to change his plea, but there could be two reasons. Firstly, he may have decided against a not guilty plea out of fear for another prolonged trial, and the details it could reveal. Alternatively, he may have reached a plea deal with prosecutors. 

A protester holds a sign with a photo of Derek Chauvin during demonstrations following the death of George Floyd on May 30, 2020, in Los Angeles, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The US Attorney's Office also declined to comment on the change, so it's unclear if Chauvin was offered a plea deal. We do know he was close to a deal in the state case before that fell apart days before he was arrested. It's likely he may be willing to make a deal now that he's already facing over two decades in jail. Notably, the docket does not indicate if Thao, Kueng, and Lane will also change their pleas.

Like Chauvin, the trio initially pleaded not guilty to the charges in September 2021. The federal case against the four is set to begin in January 2022, with each facing multiple charges. The state case against Thao, Kueng, and Lane is set to take place in March 2022, where again they have pleaded not guilty. Lawyers for the three were unavailable for comment, but given that they haven't changed their pleas, it's possible they didn't get a deal. 

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