Ex-Minneapolis police Officer Chauvin denied motion for new trial, hours before sentencing

Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin on Friday was denied a motion for a new trial hours before being sentenced for the murder of George Floyd during his May 2020 arrest.

A jury in April found Chauvin guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter, at the conclusion of a three-week trial.

According to Minnesota statutes, Chauvin will only be sentenced for the most serious charge, which has a maximum of 40 years in prison. However, it is unlikely the judge will sentence Chauvin to longer than 25 years due to sentencing guidelines, according to the Associated Press.

The key prosecution evidence was the bystander video of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for roughly nine minutes during the arrest.

Chauvin still faces federal civil rights charges, as do three other former Minneapolis Police Department officers who were involved with Floyd's death in May 2020. The officers also face a civl trial in connection with Floyd's death, which sparked a summer of protests over police brutality.