The judge says a federal civil rights case should be brought against officers before officers are tried.
A Minnesota judge does delayed the trial of three former Minneapolis police officers accused of aiding and abetting the death of George Floyd.
The officers, J Kueng, Tou Thao and Thomas Lane, were pushed to the trial date until March 2022. It was previously scheduled for August 23rd.
Officers face charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree homicide in Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020, while he was in police custody. Former officer Derek Chauvin he was convicted of manslaughter and manslaughter on April 20th.
The four officers together face federal charges that violated Floyd’s civil rights during the fatal detention.
Judge Peter Cahill said the delay was given to allow a federal case to be developed.
The news came as lawyers for the three agents appears in court to argue preventive motions, including the request for sanction to prosecutors for alleged media leaks that Chauvin had planned to plead guilty to.
Former officers waived their right to appear at Thursday’s hearing.
Attorney General Keith Ellison, whose office is prosecuting officers, has denied the allegations of media leaks and called them false.
Cahill ruled Wednesday that there were aggravating factors that would allow him to give Chauvin one sentence longer than those of state guidelines. His sentence is scheduled for June 25.
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin appears in a combination of police photos booking photos after a jury found him guilty in Minneapolis, Minnesota [File: Minnesota Department of Corrections/Handout via Reuters]
Chauvin’s guilty verdict has given hope to police reform activists and politicians. Minneapolis sees a new federal investigation into police conduct in the city.
Politicians hope to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would introduce reforms such as ending orders not to strike, would qualify police immunity against civil lawsuits and put limits on police militarization.
The act faces obstacles in the Senate, which is evenly distributed among Republicans, who are usually pro-police, and Democrats who push for reforms.
There have been bipartisan talks to advance the bill. The talks are led by Democratic Sen. Cory Booker and Republican Sen. Tim Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate.
Chauvin’s lawyer did requested a new trial, saying the ex-officer did not receive a fair trial due to tax errors.
