A report released Wednesday by the New York Times details a rejected plea deal for the former Minneapolis police officer who was filmed kneeling on George Floyd's neck last spring.
The report by the Times finds Derek Chauvin, whose murder trial begins March 8 in Hennepin County, had agreed to plead guilty to third-degree murder just days after Floyd was killed. The plea would have placed Chauvin behind bars for more then 10 years and would have guaranteed that he would not be brought up on federal charges.
However, the plea was rejected by then-U.S. attorney general William P. Barr.
According to the report, Barr rejected the deal over fears that the plea would seem too lenient and protests would grow across the country. The Times also suggests Barr denied the plea so state officials, who were set to takeover the case from county officials, could decide how to proceed.
Chauvin's trial begins March 8 in Hennepin County.
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