MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A third-degree murder charge against the former Minneapolis police officer who knelt on the neck of George Floyd has been dismissed, but the more serious second-degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin remains.
Chauvin now faces both second-degree murder and manslaughter charges.
Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill’s ruling was made public Thursday.
Cahill also denied requests to dismiss the aiding and abetting counts against three other former officers, Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao.
Floyd’s killing on May 25, which was captured on video and went viral on social media, sparked world wide protests calling for an end to police brutality and systemic racism.
All four officers were fired from the department.
Prosecutors argued there was probable cause for the officers to go to trial on all the charges, saying Chauvin intentionally assaulted Floyd, a key element in the second-degree murder charge and that the other officers assisted.
Defense attorney argued that there was not enough probable cause to the charge the former officers.
Chauvin’s attorney maintains his client did not intend to assault of kill Floyd and attorney for the other three involved argued their clients did not intend or conspire to help Chauvin.
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