Documents filed Thursday, Sept. 23, find Derek Chauvin intending to appeal his conviction and sentencing after murdering George Floyd. According to those papers, Chauvin is claiming is that Judge Peter Cahill abused his discretion when he denied a request to sequester the jury for the duration of the trial, and when he denied requests to postpone the trial or grant a new one.
The former Minneapolis police officer intends to appeal on 14 grounds.
Chauvin was convicted on state charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s 2020 death. Judge Cahill sentenced the 45-year-old to 22 ½ years — a sentence that carries a higher timeframe than the presumptive 12 ½ years after the judge agreed with prosecutors that there were aggravating factors in Floyd’s murder.
In an affidavit filed Thursday, Chauvin said he has no attorney in the appeals process, and has no income aside from having a few dollars on his books. He filed a motion to put the appeals process on hold until the Supreme Court reviews an earlier decision to deny him a public defender to represent him in his appeal.
Chauvin is also charged in federal court with violating Floyd’s civil rights when he knelt on the Black man’s neck for about 9 ½ minutes as Floyd was facedown on the pavement, not resisting and pleading for air. His case was funded by the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association’s legal defense fund.
He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.
“I have been informed that their obligation to pay for my representation terminated upon my conviction and sentencing,” Chauvin wrote.
His attorney and Judge Cahill have yet to respond to Derek Chauvin’s requests.