Derek Chauvin Requests New Trial in George Floyd Murder Case
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has formally filed a motion seeking a new trial in the 2021 murder conviction of George Floyd.
The filing, submitted November 20, 2025, asks the court to vacate Chauvin’s state-level convictions, including second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter, citing what his attorneys describe as significant trial errors.
Chauvin’s legal team argues that the trial was marred by “faulty medical testimony, misrepresented police-training facts, and incorrect jury instructions,” which they say deprived him of a fair trial and violated his constitutional rights. They request a full retrial or, in the alternative, an evidentiary hearing to examine the alleged errors in expert testimony and juror guidance.
Back in April 2021, a Hennepin County jury found Chauvin guilty on all charges in the killing of George Floyd, the unarmed Black man whose death under Chauvin’s knee sparked global protests against police brutality and systemic racism. He was later sentenced to more than 22 years in state prison, plus additional federal time after pleading guilty to civil rights violations.
Chauvin has attempted appeals in the past. His previous requests for a new trial were denied, including by a three-judge Minnesota Court of Appeals panel in 2023, and a petition to the Minnesota Supreme Court that same year.
