Derek Chauvin has pleaded guilty to federal charges that he violated George Floyd’s civil rights after he was convicted this year by a state jury of murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death.
Chauvin, 45, entered the new plea during a hearing in St. Paul, Minnesota, three months after first pleading not guilty to depriving Floyd, who was Black, of his rights when Chauvin knelt on his neck for 9 1/2 minutes while detaining him in May 2020.
Federal prosecutors told U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson that Chauvin agreed to plead guilty to using excessive force on Floyd. Chauvin also admitted guilt in a separate federal indictment in connection with him allegedly depriving a 14-year-old boy of his civil rights during an encounter in September 2017.
Update: Derek Chauvin pleads guilty to violating George Floyd
He initially pleaded not guilty in September in that case, in which he was accused of holding the teenager, who is Black, by the throat and striking his head multiple times with a flashlight.
Chauvin told the judge, “Guilty, your honor,” in response to changing his pleas.
