Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal civil rights charges stemming from the killing of George Floyd.
Chauvin pleaded guilty to one count of depriving Floyd’s rights to freedom from unreasonable seizure and excessive force, and one count of failing to provide medical care for Floyd. Prosecutors said they will ask for a 25-year federal prison sentence, according to a Minneapolis NBC affiliate.
Chauvin entered the guilty plea on Wednesday after initially pleading not guilty. The decision means he will not stand for a previously-scheduled trial in January.
Chauvin was convicted of murder in April of this year, after video of his attempted arrest of Floyd in May 2020 showed him pinning Floyd to the ground until after he lost consciousness. The video sparked massive riots in Minneapolis and protests against racism and police brutality nationwide.
Three other former officers involved in Floyd’s arrest also face charges of violating his civil rights. Former officers J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao were indicted for allegedly failing to intervene to prevent Chauvin from pinning Floyd to the ground, while Thomas Lane as well as Kueng and Thao were indicted for allegedly failing to provide medical care to Floyd.
Those officers are scheduled to go to trial in January, and have not indicated that they intend to change their pleas.