Police Officer Chauvin's lawyer asks for delay, change of venue in Floyd murder trial

The lawyer defending former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in his trial for the death of George Floyd on Monday asked that proceedings be delayed, saying he's “gravely concerned” that the $27 million civil settlement announced last week between the city and Floyd family has tainted the jury pool.

The attorney, Eric Nelson, questioned the "suspicious timing" of the settlement and argued it was "highly prejudicial" against his client, according to The Washington Post. 

Chauvin is charged with murder in the death of Floyd, who died May 25, 2020, while in police custody. Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes during the arrest sparked a summer of protests across the country over police brutality toward black Americans.

Nelson also called on Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter A. Cahill to consider a change-of-venue and "at least" call back the seven jurors already seated in the case to question them to see if they had read the news of the settlement and if they could continue to be impartial in the case, The Post also reports.