Derek Chauvin plans to take his case to the U.S. Supreme Court

Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin's appeal has been rejected by the Minnesota District Court of Appeals. Credit: Image of Chauvin from video taken by teenage witness Darnella Frazier at the time of George Floyd's arrest

Derek Chauvin, in his continuing quest for absolution, plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn his sentence for the murder of George Floyd.

That’s according to his lawyers, who say the process that convicted him in 2021 was flawed due to pretrial publicity and concerns over possible violence if there was an acquittal.

The Minnesota Supreme Court refused to hear his case Wednesday, letting the 22 1/2 year sentence stand without comment. Chauvin’s attorney William Mohrmann said they were “obviously disappointed” with the decision.

Chauvin's chances of having his case heard are slim, as the Supreme Court presides over 100 to 150 cases per year, and annually has more than 7,000 requests.

Chauvin’s actions set off a chain of events that cost the city of Minneapolis millions of dollars, spurred a worldwide reckoning with police misconduct, and exposed a history of discrimination and racism within the MPD.