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The fired Minneapolis police officer, who held his knee against George Floyd’s neck for about nine minutes, agreed to plead guilty to third degree murder a few days after Floyd’s death, but the attorney general of then William Barr rejected the deal.
Derek Chauvin and the three other officers involved were fired days after Floyd’s death on May 25 and then arrested. Chauvin faces second degree murder charges and is expected to stand trial in March. The other three are responsible for helping and encouraging and are to be tried together in the summer.
Details of the failed deal were first reported by The New York Times on Thursday.
A former Justice Department official confirmed the failure of the deal to NBC News, saying political and career officials at the Department of Justice rejected the idea.
“His lawyers were trying to rush us and we didn’t want to be rushed,” the official said.
Chauvin’s attorney Eric Nelson declined to comment on Thursday.
A spokesman for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who is leading the prosecution, said he could not comment as it covered a period before Ellison was assigned to the case.
Lacey Severins, spokesperson for the Hennepin County District Attorney’s Office, which was handling the case at the time, said: “As is often the case in many cases, early negotiations can take place between all parties. parties involved. Many times a defendant will explore their options with a negotiation. It is also common for these types of discussions to occur at the start of a case and then no agreed upon negotiation develops. This case was no different. Negotiations were discussed, nothing was developed. “
Floyd’s death sparked protests across the country and new calls for an end to police brutality and racial inequality.
“As part of the deal, officials now say he was prepared to go to jail for more than 10 years,” the Times reported. “Local officials, striving to end the growing anger in the community, have scheduled a press conference to announce the deal.”
But the deal fell apart, The Times reported, citing three law enforcement officials, as Barr feared it was too early in the investigation and seen as too lenient. Barr also wanted to allow state officials the time to make their own decisions, The Times reported.
Chauvin had asked to serve his sentence in a federal prison, and the deal was subject to federal approval because Chauvin wanted reassurance that he would not face federal civil rights charges, he said. reported the Times.
It would be highly unusual for the Justice Department to agree in advance to terminate a civil rights investigation and waive any possible federal prosecution before state proceedings have fully unfolded.
The incident involving Floyd was taped by a spectator and shared widely on social media.
The video shows Floyd begging, “Please, please, please I can’t breathe. My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Please, please. I can’t breathe, “before I shut up.
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