Former Attorney General William Barr has rejected a plea deal that a former Minneapolis police officer agreed to just days after George Floyd’s death in May 2020, according to a report.
Under the proposed agreement, which required federal approval, Derek Chauvin – the officer who kneeled on a video seen virally on Floyd’s knee – agreed to plead guilty to third-degree murder, The New York Times reported Wednesday citing information from three law enforcement officials.
One official said Barr was concerned that the deal, which requires a 10-year prison sentence, could be seen by the public as too lenient. The investigation into Floyd’s death was still ongoing.
Barr also wanted to allow Hennepin County prosecutors to proceed with the case on their own terms, the Times reported.
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The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to an email from Fox News asking for comment on the Times story. Eric Nelson, Chauvin’s lawyer, said he would not comment on the case.
Derek Chauvin, left, is on trial on charges of murder in connection with the death of George Floyd.
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Floyd’s death in police arrest on May 25, 2020 led to violent protests in Minneapolis and in major cities across the U.S. protesters watched the video that emerged from Floyd’s arrest, saying it’s another example of police brutality.
Former Attorney General William Barr speaks at a news conference on Monday, December 21, 2020 in the Department of Justice in Washington. (Associated Press)
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Chauvin is expected to stand trial alone on March 8, while three other former officers on trial in the case will be tried on fewer charges this summer. Chauvin, who is White, pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck as he was handcuffed face down on the street – even if it was a matter of debate whether it was the cause of Floyd’s death.
Last August, a medical examiner said an autopsy revealed that Floyd had a “fatal level” of fentanyl in his system when he died, but Dr. Andrew Baker stopped claiming that the drug intake Floyd killed.
Floyd was arrested when police investigated whether he had used a counterfeit account at a nearby store. In a video widely viewed on social media, Floyd can be heard asking officers for air and saying he cannot breathe.
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Minneapolis is already taking steps to prepare for Chauvin’s trial, reports The Times. The National Guard will be deployed and some office workers in the city have been told to stay home from work.