Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s attorney Eric Nelson has filed a motion for a new trial stating that the April 20 hearing ‘deprived the defendant of a fair trial’, US media reported. 

Chauvin is to be sentenced on June 25 and faces up to 40 years in prison for second degree unintentional murder, second degree manslaughter and third degree murder in the death of George Floyd.

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In the motion, Chauvin’s legal team cited various grounds for a new trial. Some of the factors were – the interests of justice; abuse of discretion that deprived the Defendant of a fair trial; prosecutorial and jury misconduct; errors of law at trial; and a verdict that is contrary to law, CNN reported. 

Attorney Eric Nelson pointed out errors made by the judge, prosecutorial misconduct, witness intimidation and the impact of publicity in the motion. 

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“The publicity here was so pervasive and so prejudicial before and during this trial that it amounted to a structural defect in the proceedings,” CNN quoted Nelson.

Nelson in the motion accused the prosecutors of committing misconduct, disparaging the Defense, improper vouching and failing to adequately prepare its witnesses.

Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes, was convicted by a 12-member jury.