Chauvin pleads not guilty to rights violation
Case involved restraint similar to that used on Floyd
MINNEAPOLIS – The former Minneapolis police officer who murdered George Floyd pleaded not guilty Thursday to violating the civil rights of a teenager in a separate case that involved a restraint similar to the one used on Floyd.
Derek Chauvin was convicted earlier this year on state charges of seconddegree unintentional murder, thirddegree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s 2020 death. Chauvin was sentenced to 221⁄2years. He’s also charged in federal court with violating Floyd’s civil rights when he knelt on the Black man’s neck for about 91⁄2 minutes as Floyd was facedown on the pavement, not resisting and pleading for air.
But another indictment against Chauvin alleges he used a similar act against a then-14-year-old boy in 2017. This indictment alleges Chauvin deprived the teenager, who is Black, of his right to be free of unreasonable force when he held the teen by the throat, hit him in the head with a flashlight and held his knee on the boy’s neck and upper back while he was prone, handcuffed and not resisting.
When U.S. Magistrate Judge Hildy Bowbeer asked how he would plead to the charge, Chauvin replied, “Not guilty, your honor.”
Thursday’s hearing was held via videoconference, and Chauvin appeared from the state’s maximum security prison, where he’s being held following his murder conviction. He was in a large room, and wearing a plain T-shirt as he sat at the head of a long table. No one was visible in the room with him, but a man was seen behind a window pane over Chauvin’s shoulder. He had some paper on the table in front of him and appeared to take notes.