A former Minneapolis police officer involved in the death of George Floyd has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, the Hennepin County attorney Mike Freeman announced Friday afternoon.
“[Derek] Chauvin has been charged by the Hennepin County attorney office with murder and with manslaughter,” Freeman said during a press conference. “He has been charged with third-degree murder.”
Minnesota is one of only three states in the country to have a third-degree murder charge, the others being Florida and Pennsylvania. Also known as depraved-heart murder, a third-degree murder charge is used when someone causes the death of someone without the intent to kill, but with an action that is dangerous and disregards human life. Continue reading.