SCOTUS declines to hear Chauvin's appeal of George Floyd murder conviction
Law enforcement officials escorting former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin from a prison in Minneapolis in September 2020. Photo: David Joles/Star Tribune via Getty Images
The Supreme Court on Monday declined a request to review former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's conviction for murdering George Floyd in 2020.
Why it matters: The court's decision means Chauvin's district court conviction and prison sentence of over 22 years will stand.
Catch up quick: Chauvin's lawyers had argued he was denied his right to a fair trial because of pretrial publicity and public safety concerns in the event of an acquittal, the AP reports.
- Footage of Chauvin holding his knee to Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes as Floyd pleaded that he couldn't breathe sparked global protests.
Separately, Chauvin is seeking to overturn his federal civil rights convictions stemming from Floyd's murder, AP reports.
- He pleaded guilty to two charges of violating the civil rights of Floyd and a 14-year-old during a separate arrest in 2017 by using excessive force in each encounter.
- He was sentenced to 21 years in prison for the federal convictions.
Go deeper: Former Minneapolis police officer gets nearly 5 years for role in George Floyd's death