AG Barr quashed plea deal by fired Officer Derek Chauvin in George Floyd death

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
Justin "Rabbit Hole J. Cole" Coleman
@DemopJ
"The fired Minneapolis police officer who held his knee to George Floyd's neck for about nine minutes agreed to plead guilty to third-degree murder days after Floyd's death, but then-Attorney General William Barr rejected the deal."

AG Barr quashed plea deal by fired Officer Derek Chauvin in George Floyd death
As part of the failed deal, Derek Chauvin was willing to go to jail for more than 10 years.
nbcnews.com
10:35 AM · Feb 11, 2021

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1257457

[Cattledog]

1. He's being tried by the state. What do the Feds have to do with it?

Confused.

[Nevilledog]

2. From the story:

Chauvin had asked to serve his time in a federal prison, and the deal was contingent on the federal government's approval because Chauvin wanted assurance he would not face federal civil rights charges, the Times reported.

It would be highly unusual for the Justice Department to agree in advance to stop a civil rights investigation and forgo any possible federal prosecution before state proceedings have fully played out.

[SunSeeker]

3. The plea involved the feds.

Chauvin had asked to serve his time in a federal prison, and the deal was contingent on the federal government's approval because Chauvin wanted assurance he would not face federal civil rights charges, the Times reported.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1257457

[RockRaven]

4. There are potential federal criminal civil rights violations which could be charged...

His lawyers were offering a guilty plea to 3rd degree murder (instead of the 2nd he is currently charged with) but wanted him sent to federal, instead of state, prison AND wanted a guarantee of no civil rights charges from the feds.

I hate Bill Barr as much as anyone on DU, but IMO the deal his lawyers were offering was both too lenient and premature (which according to the unnamed DOJ source were Barr's objections).

[Jirel]

5. Wow. Barr got something right?!?!

The plea deal was crazy lenient. I would’ve expected Barr to be happy to not pursue civil rights charges.

[crickets]

6. K&R for visibility.