George Floyd Case: 3rd-Degree Murder Charge Rejected

SOUTHWEST MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Prosecutors have been denied a request to add third-degree murder charges in the cases against the former cops charged in the death of George Floyd. The Star-Tribune reported Thursday that a judge rejected the request.

According to the newspaper, prosecutors wanted to add the charge back to Derek Chauvin's case. The paper reported that prosecutors also wanted to add the charge in the cases against the other three officers: J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao.

The state had sought to add the charge based on a Court of Appeals ruling in the case of Mohamed Noor, the officer in the fatal shooting of Justin Damond, the paper reported. But Chauvin's attorney argued the ruling wasn't yet legal precedent, the report said.

Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was actually prepared to plead guilty to third-degree murder in George Floyd's death before then-Attorney General William Barr personally blocked the plea deal last year, The Associated Press reported Thursday.

The deal would have averted any potential federal charges, including a civil rights offense, as part of an effort to quickly resolve the case to avoid more protests after riots and arson damaged a swath of south Minneapolis, according to two law enforcement officials with direct knowledge of the talks. The officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the talks.

Barr rejected the deal in part because he felt it was too soon as the investigation into Floyd's death was still in its relative infancy.

Floyd, a Black man who was in handcuffs at the time, died May 25 after Chauvin kneeled on his neck for a number of minutes even as Floyd cried out that he couldn’t breathe. Widely seen bystander video sparked protests in the city, including some violent riots and arson, and quickly spread around the country.

Chauvin was fired soon after Floyd's death. He is scheduled for trial March 8 on charges including second-degree murder and manslaughter. The other defendants' trial is set to start in August.

All four former officers, who were fired, are out on bond.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.