Judge: Derek Chauvin to stand trial separately from other Minneapolis police officers

A judge ruled on Tuesday that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who faces murder and manslaughter charges over the killing of George Floyd, will stand trial separately from the other former officers involved.

Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter A. Cahill announced that Chauvin will stand trial beginning March 8, The Washington Post reported. Former officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas K. Lane and Tou Thao will stand trial Aug. 23.

The ex-officers were initially scheduled to be tried together, but prosecutors asked for the trial to be delayed to June 7 over concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic.

In a virtual hearing last week, Cahill seemed hesitant to delay the trial over a packed calendar, the Post reported. In his order, he cited an email from Hennepin County District Court Judge Toddrick Barnette, who met with prosecutors and defense attorneys in the case.

The Post reported that Barnette did not ask for the trial to be delayed over concerns that the courtroom was not adequate when enforcing social distancing rules.

“I am not asking that you delay the trials,” Barnette wrote. “I’m only asking that you consider having less than all four defendants stand trial.”

Video of Floyd’s killing that went viral last year showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 48 seconds. The May 25 incident sparked waves of protests across the country against police brutality.

Chauvin faces second-degree murder and manslaughter charges for his role in Floyd’s killing. The other officers are charged with aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter.