Derek Chauvin files third bid to overturn his George Floyd murder conviction, seeking dismissal of state charges

Derek Chauvin has filed a new petition seeking to have Minnesota reconsider his state murder conviction in the 2020 killing of George Floyd, asking the state to dismiss the murder charges, according to The Hill. The filing represents Chauvin’s third request to obtain dismissal in the case after two earlier petitions were denied.

The petition urges the state to revisit the underlying state charges that resulted in his conviction, The Hill reported. Chauvin is not seeking a new trial in the request described by The Hill, but instead is asking for dismissal of the state murder charges, which would effectively unwind the conviction if granted.

Chauvin’s latest filing comes after the court proceedings following his conviction, including prior efforts by his attorneys to obtain dismissal. The Hill said the two earlier petitions Chauvin’s team filed were denied before the newly filed request.

The case stems from Chauvin’s 2020 arrest and the death of George Floyd during an encounter in Minneapolis. Chauvin was convicted in state court, and the litigation that followed has included multiple post-conviction requests challenging the charges and conviction, according to The Hill’s account of the timeline of dismissal petitions.

While the petition seeks dismissal, the state’s response and any subsequent judicial review will determine whether Chauvin’s request proceeds. Because this is the third petition for dismissal described by The Hill, the filing may prompt additional attention to procedural limits on repeated post-conviction motions and the standards courts apply when considering successive requests.

For Minnesota, the practical impact is tied to how the state courts manage post-conviction review and finality in serious criminal cases. If the state were to reconsider and dismiss the murder charges as requested, it would have immediate consequences for the conviction status and any remaining enforcement of the sentence imposed in the case; if denied, it would leave the conviction in place and continue the litigation in the posture the court determines.

The Hill reported the petition was filed by Chauvin’s attorneys, and that it asks the state to dismiss the murder charges. The next procedural step will depend on the court’s scheduling and whether the petition is addressed through expedited consideration or through the normal course of post-conviction review.