The fired Minneapolis police officer, who kept his knee to George Floyd’s neck, agreed to plead guilty to third-degree murder days after Floyd’s death, but then-Attorney General William Barr turned down the deal.
Derek Chauvin and the three other officers involved were fired days after Floyd’s death on May 25 and later arrested. Chauvin is facing charges of second-degree murder and will be tried in March. The other three are charged with aiding and abetting and must be tried together in the summer.
The details of the failed deal were first reported by The New York Times.
A former Justice Department official confirmed the failed deal to NBC News, saying Justice Department officials, both politically appointed and career-friendly, had rejected it.
“His lawyers tried to rush us, and we did not want to be rushed,” the official said.
Chauvin’s lawyer, Eric Nelson, declined to comment Thursday.
A spokesman for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who is leading the prosecution, said he could not comment because it was a period before Ellison was assigned to the case.
Lacey Severins, a spokeswoman for the Hennepin County Attorneys’ Office at the time, said: “As is typical in many cases, early negotiations can take place between all parties involved. Many times, an accused will investigate their options. a negotiation. It is also common for these types of discussions to take place at the beginning of a case and then no agreement was reached on negotiations. This case was no different. Negotiations were discussed, nothing developed. “
Floyd’s death sparked nationwide protests and renewed calls for an end to police brutality and racial inequality.
“As part of the deal, officials now say, he was prepared to go to jail for more than ten years,” the Times reported. “Local officials, who are trying to end the anger of the community, have planned a news conference to announce the agreement.
But the deal fell apart, the Times reported, citing three law enforcement officials because Barr was worried it was too early in the investigation and that it would become too soft. Barr also wanted to allow government officials to take over the case to make their own decisions, reports the Times.
Chauvin asked to serve his time in a federal prison, and the deal was subject to federal government approval because Chauvin wanted the assurance that he would not face federal civil rights charges, the Times reported. report.
It would be highly unusual for the Department of Justice to agree in advance to suspend a civil rights investigation and abandon any possible federal prosecution before the state proceedings have fully played out.
The incident in which Floyd was involved was recorded by a bystander and widely shared on social media.
The video shows Floyd begging, “Please, please, please, I can not breathe. My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Please, please. I can not breathe,” before he became silent.
