Legal challenges to Derek Chauvin convictions

Derek Chauvin’s legal team has filed a 31-page petition in Hennepin County seeking to dismiss all charges and vacate his convictions related to the death of George Floyd. Attorney Greg Joseph argues that the prosecution was built on a foundation lacking legal standing due to procedural violations. The filing alleges that Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office engaged in “unlawful and fraudulent conduct,” specifically claiming a grand jury was never convened to review the state’s evidence. Joseph contends this lack of a grand jury means the charges were never lawfully brought and that Judge Peter Cahill lacked jurisdiction over the case.

The defense also challenges the legality of Governor Walz’s decision to appoint Keith Ellison to lead the prosecution, arguing Ellison used unauthorized authority to add a second-degree murder charge to the complaint.

Following this legal action, Elon Musk publicly called for Chauvin’s release on the social media platform X, stating that Chauvin was “unjustly convicted of murder” and arguing that evidence shows he was not the cause of death nor did he intend for a death to occur. Musk’s comments align with a petition by commentator Ben Shapiro, which includes suggestions that Chauvin should receive a federal pardon. Legal experts have noted that because Chauvin was convicted on both federal and state charges, a presidential pardon would only address his federal sentence, not his state conviction. Chauvin is currently serving concurrent sentences for state second-degree murder and federal civil rights violations.