AG Ellison: 3rd-degree murder charge ‘reflects the gravity of the allegations’ against Chauvin

March 5, 2020 (SAINT PAUL) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison issued the following statement in response to today’s Minnesota Court of Appeals ruling that the district court erred in not granting the State’s motion to reinstate the charge of 3rd-degree murder against Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd:  

“We believe the Court of Appeals decided this matter correctly. We believe the charge of 3rd-degree murder, in addition to manslaughter and felony murder, reflects the gravity of the allegations against Mr. Chauvin. Adding this charge is an important step forward in the path toward justice. We look forward to presenting all charges to the jury in Hennepin County."