Official court records and announcements

Derek Chauvin Granted Access to George Floyd's Heart Tissue for Appeal of Federal Civil Rights Conviction

Dec 17, 2024, 12:00 PM

A federal judge has granted Derek Chauvin's legal team permission to examine preserved samples of George Floyd's heart tissue and fluid as part of an appeal against his federal civil rights conviction. Chauvin's attorneys argue that testing these samples may support their claim that Floyd's death was caused by an underlying heart condition rather than Chauvin's actions during the arrest. This ruling comes as part of Chauvin's ongoing efforts to challenge his conviction, which stems from the widely publicized incident in May 2020. The judge's decision has been met with various reactions, highlighting the contentious nature of the case and the ongoing debates surrounding the circumstances of Floyd's death. Notably, court documents indicate that Floyd was alive when he arrived at the hospital for treatment, which may further complicate the narrative surrounding his death.