The attorney for George Floyd's killer demands that the victim isn't referred to as such during the case. According to TMZ, Derek Chauvin's lawyer filed a motion asking for several protocols to be applied during the trial including prohibiting prosecutors from referring to Floyd as a "victim" or comparing his death to Christ's crucifixion. Chauvin's defense argues that this is prejudicial.
The slew of requests made also include blocking prosecutors from calling Chauvin the "defendant" in the case. The motion details other odd defense to help provide Chauvin's innocence. The defense doesn't want other police taking the stand to describe what they would've done differently, or paramedics testifying about the cause of death. However, they are open to testimonies regarding Floyd's alleged substance abuse issues.
Chauvin is currently charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter. Per Star Tribune, Chauvin's attorney Eric Nelson also pushed back against the proposed reinstatement of a third-degree murder charge against Chauvin. The charge was brought up after Minnesota Court of Appeals ruling upheld a third-degree murder charge against Mohamed Noor for the shooting death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. It has yet to be made into a legal precedent which is the loophole Nelson is trying to use.
"The state has deliberately turned a blind eye to actual binding precedent which clearly establishes that Noor is not, in fact, precedential," said Nelson. "[The state's] reliance on Noor is misplaced, or, at best, premature. Its motions to reinstate or amend the complaint must, therefore, be denied."
We'll keep you updated on the case.
