MINNEAPOLIS—A Minnesota judge has dismissed a third-degree murder charge filed against the former Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee against George Floyd’s neck, but the more serious second-degree murder charge remains. Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill’s ruling was dated Wednesday and made public Thursday. Judge Cahill said there was enough probable cause for the second-degree murder charge and manslaughter charge against Derek Chauvin to proceed to trial. Mr. Floyd, a Black man who was in handcuffs, died May 25 after Mr. Chauvin, who is white, pressed his knee against Mr. Floyd’s neck as Mr. Floyd said he couldn’t breathe and became motionless. Prosecutors argued there was probable cause for the officers to go to trial on all of the charges, saying Mr. Chauvin intentionally assaulted Mr. Floyd, which is an element of the second-degree murder charge, and that the other officers assisted.

Source: Wall Street Journal October 22, 2020 17:48 UTC