Judge dismisses third degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin, other charges remain

Judge Peter A Cahill issued several critical rulings on Thursday He also dismissed motions to dismiss charges of aiding and aiding and abetting the three other officers indicted in Floyd’s death: Tou Thao, J Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A Hennepin County judge has dismissed the third degree murder charge against former Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin, but has dismissed defense motions to dismiss the remaining charges against lui Chauvin remains charged with second degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd

Judge Peter A Cahill issued several critical rulings on Thursday He also dismissed motions to dismiss charges of aiding and abetting the three other officers indicted in Floyd’s death: Tou Thao, J Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane

Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao J Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane The four former Minneapolis cops are charged with the death of George Floyd (FOX 9 / FOX 9)

Justice Cahill stayed the dismissal of Chauvin’s third degree murder charge for five days to allow the state to appeal the decision

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison called the judge’s decision to uphold eight of the nine charges against the four officers « an important and positive step on the road to justice for George Floyd, his family, our community and Minnesota »

Chauvin was arrested and charged with third degree murder and manslaughter just four days after George Floyd’s death on Memorial Day at the intersection of E 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis The charge went on to was ruled as second degree murder as Attorney General Keith Ellison announced charges against the other three officers involved in Floyd’s death

Former officers Thao, Kueng and Lane are all charged with aiding and abetting second degree murder and aiding and abetting second degree manslaughter All four officers were fired the day after Floyd died

May 26: The four officers involved in Floyd’s death – Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, J Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane – are all fired from the Minneapolis Police Department after a video of Chauvin kneeling on the neck of Floyd for over eight minutes went viral

June 3: Charges of Chauvin increased to second degree murder, third degree murder and second degree manslaughter Thao, Kueng and Lane are charged with aiding and abetting second degree murder and of aiding and abetting second degree manslaughter The four officers implicated in Floyd’s death are now in custody

June 4: George Floyd’s memorial service is held at North Central University in Minneapolis It was a star-studded event capped off by a moment of silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds

June 6: Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Report Deems Floyd’s Death Homicide Updated Report Shows Floyd suffered cardiopulmonary arrest while being held by law enforcement officers order

June 15: A new 911 call transcript shows a 911 dispatcher called a Minneapolis police sergeant because of his concern over how officers were handling the murderous arrest of George Floyd on the evening of the 25th may

June 29: All four officers appear in Hennepin County District Court for omnibus hearing Judge Peter A Cahill sets March 8 trial date

July 7: Thomas Lane’s lawyer files a motion to dismiss the charges against him, arguing that there is not enough evidence to establish probable cause the former rookie officer committed a felony

Lane and J Alexander Kueng’s body cameras, body camera video transcripts and photos of George Floyd’s vehicle interior were all submitted as supporting evidence for the motion.

July 9: Judge Peter Cahill slams cases against the four former officers after at least two lawyers speak to media

July 15: Judge Cahill allows media and public to view camera footage worn on the bodies of former officers Lane and Kueng Videos were only available by appointment and reporters were not allowed to record or share videos from body camera

On the same day, the family of George Floyd filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Minneapolis and its police officers

July 21: Judge Cahill dismisses the gag order after defense argued it wasn’t fair to the four former officers after so much has already been said about their actions He also ruled not sanction Attorney General Keith Ellison, who the defense said violated the now-rejected gag order on the case when he sent a press release to the public outlining his entire prosecution team

July 29: Thao’s lawyer files a motion to dismiss the charges against him, arguing that there is not enough evidence to establish probable cause

August 7: Judge Cahill orders that the camera images carried by the body of dismissed police officers Lane and Kueng be made public

Aug 10: Camera videos worn on the bodies of former officers Lane and Kueng released In the videos, Floyd appears alarmed to have Lane’s gun to his face as officers approached the window of the driver’s side The gun and its positioning seem to set events in motion as Floyd becomes restless and upset

Aug 12: State of Minnesota files motion to join the cases of the four Minneapolis police officers charged with Floyd’s death into one prosecution This ruling means there would be a trial for all officers, rather than four separate trials

Aug 13: Video from camera worn by ex-officer Thao released to public Video shows Thao trying to control the crowd as fellow officers hold George Floyd in the murderous arrest

Aug 14: Video of the interrogation of former officer Thao by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is published In the video, which lasts almost two hours, Thao recounts what led to the death of George Floyd and that they went to Cup Foods as back-up, claiming that they knew the area as dangerousThao told the BCA it was his suggestion to put a handcuffed Floyd on the street after he twice failed to put him panicked and complaining of claustrophobia in the back of a squad vehicle

Aug 27: J Alexander Kueng’s lawyer files a motion to dismiss the charges against him and a motion to change the location of the trial

Aug 28: Defense attorneys for Derek Chauvin file motion to dismiss charges against former officer In court documents, attorneys cite a lack of intent to prove second degree murder charge, claiming that agents were acting to keep George Floyd under control and that Chauvin had undergone training during Floyd’s detention

Lawyers for Chauvin as well as those for Thao also file motion requesting relocation of trial venue Lawyers argue impartial jury cannot be found in Hennepin County

At the same time, the prosecution files a court document calling for longer sentences for the four police officers indicted in Floyd’s death

Sept 8: Thomas Lane’s lawyer files motion to change location of trial Defense attorneys representing the four officers also object to state’s request to join the four cases and hold a trial

Sept 11: A motions hearing is held in the case, but Judge Cahill does not deal with motions to dismiss the charges against the officers or rule on the state’s motion to unite all cases in a single trial or on the defense motion to change the location of the trial

Judge disqualifies Hennepin County District Attorney Mike Freeman and three other prosecutors from his case officer in a private meeting they had with the medical examiner, claiming it makes them witnesses

Oct 7: Chauvin released from jail on $ 1 million bail All four officers accused of Floyd’s death have now been released from jail

Oct 15: Evidence hearing takes place in case Judge Cahill dismisses state motion to restrict public access to new records in the case for two working days before they are released

Body camera video of George Floyd’s 2019 arrest released The defense offers to submit footage of Floyd’s previous arrest as evidence, claiming it shows similar behavior by Floyd towards police that his fatal arrest on Remembrance Day

Derek Chauvin