Derek Chauvin Seeks Reconsideration for New Trial

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is requesting a court to revisit his plea for a new trial in his ongoing legal struggles.

As indicated in court records, Chauvin has recently filed an appeal against a judge’s earlier ruling that dismissed his petition for post-conviction relief.

Chauvin was convicted for the murder of George Floyd in April 2021. Reports reveal that he knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds while Floyd was face down and handcuffed, leading to a fatal lack of oxygen to his brain.

On June 29, Chauvin, with the assistance of criminal defense attorney Gregory Joseph, appealed the judge’s decision from May 1 that denied his request.

The judge’s order, consisting of 41 pages, stated that none of the arguments presented in Chauvin’s petition warrant any form of relief.

In November 2025, Chauvin’s entire post-conviction petition was dismissed by the judge, more than five months after the petition was originally filed.

Some claims in the petition included allegations that prosecutors improperly relied on video evidence, that the jury instructions were legally inadequate, and that law enforcement provided false testimonies.

The May 1 ruling reiterated Minnesota’s Kunafra Rule, which generally prevents defendants from using the post-conviction route to raise issues that have already been decided or could have been presented earlier.

Chauvin has claimed new evidence indicates that he did not directly cause George Floyd’s death, attempting to overturn his conviction.

Joseph wasn’t Chauvin’s lawyer during the initial trial; he began representing him post-conviction and is actively working on appealing the case.