Aimee Walker
Federal prosecutors reportedly ‘had a secret plan to arrest Derek Chauvin’ if he was cleared of the murder of George Floyd.
Justice Department Officials allegedly would have gone after the ex-Minneapolis police officer by swooping in with police brutality charges, reports Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Apparently, there were concerns that Chauvin would somehow beat the state’s charges against him. Or, they feared the case would come to an abrupt end if deemed a mistrial.
Derek Chauvin’s Violent History In The Police Has Been Revealed
So if the 12 member jury had returned a ‘not guilty’ verdict on the three counts of murder and manslaughter, the feds were confident the 45-year-old could be rearrested on other violations.
However, this backup plan wasn’t needed.
Chauvin was found guilty on all counts and will be sentenced on June 25.
According to one of the jurors, there was ‘no pressure’ to reach a guilty verdict.
Brandon Mitchell explained that he and the 11 other people on the jury had not engaged with news on the case in the build-up to the trial.
On ABC News, he explained: “We were really just locked in on the case.
“I mean, those things are just so secondary because you’re literally, throughout the trial, watching somebody die on a daily basis, so that stress alone is enough to take your mind away from whatever’s going on outside of the four walls of the courtroom.”
Although Chauvin’s main case is over, it’s been reported that he is being investigated for a case beyond Mr Floyd.
In 2017, the officer allegedly used ‘unreasonable force’ when arresting a 14-year-old boy.
Chauvin is said to have struck the boy with his flashlight twice and then held the teen’s throat, according to court papers.
Featured Image Credit: Minnesota Department of Corrections & Pexel
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