how civil lawyer keith led chauvin

‘Gentle Steering of the Ship’: How Keith Ellison Led the Prosecution of Chauvin Years before he won a murder conviction for the death of George Floyd, Mr. Ellison, the Minnesota attorney general, was a young civil rights lawyer taking on police misconduct. Give this article

Full Answer

Who is the lead prosecutor in the Chauvin case?

While Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is bringing the state’s case against Chauvin before Judge Peter Cahill, the lead prosecutor in court is assistant attorney general Matthew Frank. Frank will face difficult challenges posed by the requirements of the law.

What happened to Derek Chauvin’s defense attorney?

When Chauvin made the request, he said he had no income aside from nominal prison wages and that the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association’s legal defense fund, which paid for his initial attorney, told him its obligation to fund his legal representation ended when he was convicted and sentenced.

What did Justin Chauvin plead guilty to?

Chauvin also pleaded guilty in a separate federal case in which he was accused of depriving the rights of a 14-year-old in Minneapolis in 2017 for allegedly kneeling on the back and neck of a handcuffed, non-resisting teenager.

Was Chauvin’s case a slam dunk?

Legal professionals who have followed the pre-trial filings and maneuverings say that even with that stunning and difficult-to-watch visual evidence, the case against Chauvin is anything but a slam dunk.

A first time admitting guilt

At his state murder trial in April, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin chose not to testify.

What the federal indictments alleged

The two federal indictments, unsealed in May, cover two separate incidents in which Chauvin knelt on a person who was handcuffed and lying prone on their stomach. At Chauvin's murder trial, medical experts testified that this position limits a person's ability to breathe in what's known as positional asphyxia.

Floyd's brother called it "a good day for justice"

Philonise Floyd, George Floyd's brother, speaks during a press conference outside the U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minn., on Wednesday, after Derek Chauvin pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges in George Floyd's murder.

Three former officers still face charges

Still facing federal charges are J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao, the three former police officers who were with Chauvin when he pinned Floyd's chest and face to the asphalt and knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes, resulting in his death.

George Floyd's Family Says Chauvin's Sentencing Is One Step Closer To Healing

Kueng, Lane, and Thao have pleaded not guilty to the federal charges, as well as to state charges related to Floyd's death. They're slated to go on trial for the state charges in March of 2022.