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.

What You Need To Know

  • A judge in Minnesota dismissed a third-degree murder charge against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd

  • The more serious charge of second-degree murder still remains

  • Floyd, a Black man who was in handcuffs, died May 25 after Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck as Floyd said he couldn’t breathe and became motionless

  • The death of Floyd sparked worldwide demonstrations over the summer, with protesters calling for police reform

Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill’s ruling was made public Thursday. Chauvin now faces two counts going forward: second-degree murder and manslaughter. Cahill also denied defense requests to dismiss the aiding and abetting counts against three other former officers, Thomas Lane, J. Jueng and Tou Thao.

Floyd, a Black man who was in handcuffs, died May 25 after Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck as Floyd said he couldn’t breathe and became motionless.

All four officers were fired.

Prosecutors argued there was probable cause for the officers to go to trial on all of the charges, saying Chauvin intentionally assaulted Floyd, which is an element of the second-degree murder charge, and that the other officers assisted.

Defense attorneys had argued that there was not enough probable cause to charge the former officers. Chauvin’s attorney said his client had no intent to assault or kill Floyd, while attorneys for the other officers argued that their clients did not intend or conspire to help Chauvin.

The killing of Floyd sparked worldwide demonstrations over the summer, with protesters calling for systemic change and police reform. 

The protests were mostly peaceful, and there is little evidence that the protests caused a significant increase in U.S. coronavirus infections, according to public health experts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.