Derek Chauvin Seeks New Trial, Cites Jury Misconduct

Former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin has filed a motion for a new trial following his conviction over the murder of George Floyd.

Recall that Chauvin had been found guilty of all the charges against him in the Floyd trial, with his sentencing scheduled to take place next month.

Now, NBC News reports that Chauvin's attorney, Eric Nelson, has alleged that pretrial publicity influenced his client's right to a fair trial, and in the motion filed, says the court abused its discretion by denying the requests for a venue change and a new trial.

READ ALSO: Derek Chauvin: Jury Finds George Floyd Killer Guilty On All Counts

Derek Chauvin

The filing says that because the court failed to make the jurors "avoid all media", they were subjected not only to prejudicial publicity but also to "jury intimidation or potential fear of retribution."

READ ALSO: Derek Chauvin Verdict: Biden Blames US For ‘Systemic Racism’

In a statement on Tuesday evening, John Stiles, Deputy Chief of Staff for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison stated: "The court has already rejected many of these arguments and the State will vigorously oppose them."

The motion filed alleges a total of eight instances of abuse of discretion by the court, accusing Minnesota state prosecutors of committing "pervasive, prejudicial prosecutorial misconduct" that influenced Chauvin's trial.