State asks Court of Appeals to rejoin trials of ex-officers in Floyd case
Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao. J Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane. The four former Minneapolis police officers are charged in the death of George Floyd. (FOX 9 / FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Prosecutors, led by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, are appealing to the Court of Appeals to rejoin the trials of the four fired Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd.
Earlier this month, prosecutors filed a motion asking Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill to reconsider his ruling to sever the trials of Derek Chauvin and the other three former officers—Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane. They argued all four cases should be rejoined and one trial should be held later this summer due to COVID-19 concerns.
However, Cahill denied the request, ordering Chauvin's trial to begin on March 8 and the trial for the other three officers to start on Aug. 23.
Thursday, prosecutors submitted their appeal to the Court of Appeals.
The Court of Appeals will have to decide if it has jurisdiction to take up the issue. If it does, an expedited hearing is likely given the current trial timeline.
Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter. Thao, Lane and Kueng are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.