Chauvin to change not guilty plea to federal charges in Floyd death

Washington (AFP) - Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of the murder of George Floyd, plans to change his not guilty plea to separate civil rights charges, according to a court filing on Monday.

Chauvin, 45, appears likely to change his plea from not guilty to guilty to the federal charges of violating the civil rights of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man.

A change of plea hearing is scheduled for Wednesday in US District Court in St Paul, Minnesota.

Chauvin was sentenced in June to 22 and a half years in prison for Floyd's May 2020 death, which sparked protests against racial injustice and police brutality across the United States.

Chauvin and three other police officers who were on the scene during Floyd's fatal arrest -- Tou Thao, Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane -- were charged with violating his constitutional rights and failing to respond to his medical needs.

All four pleaded not guilty to the federal charges. They are scheduled to go on trial next year.

Chauvin, who is white, was captured on video kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly 10 minutes, until he fell unconscious and died.

Keung and Lane helped to restrain the handcuffed Floyd, while Thao kept away bystanders who were pleading with the officers to get off of Floyd as he complained he was unable to breathe.

A jury took less than 10 hours to convict Chauvin in April at the end of a high-profile trial. 

The verdict was greeted with relief by many Americans amid fears an acquittal could trigger further unrest.