Chauvin Lawyers Seek New Trial Claiming Jury 'Misconduct' After Photo of Juror in BLM Shirt
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's legal team is petitioning the courts to overturn his guilty verdict and give him a new trial.
In their filing, Chauvin's attorneys cite multiple reasons, including jury misconduct.
The filing reads: "The jury committed misconduct, felt threatened or intimidated, felt race-based pressure during the proceedings, and/or failed to adhere to instructions during deliberations."
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The request comes as a photo of one of the jurors has surfaced showing him wearing a Black Lives Matter t-shirt at a protest last August with the words "Get Your Knee Off Our Necks" on it.
Defense attorney Eric Nelson said he is requesting a new trial partly because “The publicity here was so pervasive and so prejudicial before and during this trial that it amounted to a structural defect in the proceedings."
The jury convicted Chauvin of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.
His sentencing is scheduled for June 25th and faces up to 40 years in prison.
