Minneapolis Appeals Court Won't Delay Derek Chauvin Trial

SOUTHWEST MINNEAPOLIS, MN — In court records released Friday, the Minnesota Court of Appeals said that it has no plans to delay the upcoming trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged in the murder of George Floyd.

According to court documents, prosecutors in the case requested that the trial be postponed to the summer so that Chauvin and three other former officers involved in the case could all be tried at once. They argued that going forward with Chauvin's trial next month could hinder its outcome if participants contracted COVID-19.

However, appeals court judges were not swayed by the prosecution's request to push Chauvin's trial back.

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"Because the state has not shown critical impact on the outcome of the trial, and there is no basis for this court to exercise inherent authority to review the pretrial rulings challenged by the state, these appeals must be dismissed," the court's ruling reads in part.

Chauvin is scheduled to stand trial on March 8. He faces second-degree manslaughter and second-degree unintentional murder while committing a felony.

Former offices Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao will face trial together on Aug. 23. They've been charged with two counts each of aiding and abetting.

Read the entire Minnesota Court of Appeals ruling below: