MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A judge has granted permission to lawyers for Derek Chauvin to have samples from George Floyd examined as part of the former Minneapolis police officer's efforts to challenge his conviction on a federal civil rights charge stemming from Floyd's death in 2020.
U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson agreed in an order Monday to let the defense examine Floyd's heart tissue and fluid samples to test a theory that Floyd died of a heart condition aggravated by a rare tumor, not — as prosecutors contend — from asphyxiation caused by the white officer pressing his knee on the Black man's neck for 9 1/2 minutes despite Floyd's dying cries of, “I can't breathe.”
Floyd’s death touched off protests worldwide, some of which turned violent, and forced a national reckoning with police brutality and racism.
Chauvin was convicted in state court on murder charges in 2021 and pleaded guilty later that year in federal court to violating Floyd's civil rights. His federal defender for his appeal attempt, Robert Meyers, argued in his request that Chauvin's original attorney, Eric Nelson, failed to inform his client that an outside pathologist not directly involved in the case, Dr. William Schaetzel, of Topeka, Kansas, had contacted Nelson before Chauvin entered his plea and offered an unsolicited theory that Chauvin did not cause Floyd’s death.
Chauvin claims that amounted to “ineffective assistance counsel” and is seeking a new trial, saying he would not have pleaded guilty if he had known about the pathologist.
But federal prosecutors have argued in court filings that Nelson made a reasonable “tactical decision” not to explore an untested opinion “offered by someone holding himself out as an expert." They pointed out that Nelson consulted with other medical experts in preparation for Chauvin's cases, including one who testified in state court, but that the jury in that case rejected Chauvin's medical defense. They also noted that the legal barriers to succeeding on a claim of ineffective counsel are very high.
Nelson declined to comment Tuesday.
Chauvin is serving his 20-year federal civil rights and 22 1/2-year state murder sentences concurrently at a federal prison in Texas. The U.S. Supreme Court last year rejected Chauvin's appeal of his murder conviction.
FILE - In this image taken from video, former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin addresses the court at the Hennepin County Courthouse, June 25, 2021, in Minneapolis. (Court TV via AP, Pool, File)
BRISTOL, England (AP) — U.S. rugby star Ilona Maher made her debut for the Bristol Bears women's team in front of a record home crowd of 9,240 fans on Sunday.
But Maher, “ the most followed rugby player on the planet,” could not prevent Bristol from losing 40-17 to defending champion Gloucester-Hartpury in a Premiership Women’s Rugby match.
She came on as a substitute in the 61st minute at Ashton Gate with Bristol trailing 28-10. Maher made her presence felt in a couple of rucks and looked for work off the wing but could make little impact to the overall picture in her 20 minutes on the field.
The previous attendance record for a Bristol women’s home match was 4,101 against Harlequins in May 2022. Such was the anticipation surrounding Maher's debut that Bristol relocated the match from a smaller venue to Ashton Gate to satisfy demand for seats.
The 28-year-old Maher, who helped lead the U.S. to the bronze medal in rugby sevens at the Paris Games, has signed a three-month contract with Bristol in southwestern England. She had begun training with Bristol in December when the team announced the signing before going back to the United States for the holidays.
Maher has more than 8 million followers combined on Instagram and TikTok. She was a runner-up on the “Dancing With The Stars" TV show.
The Vermont native is returning to the 15-a-side game in hopes of boosting her chances of making the U.S. team for the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England. She can play at wing or center.
Bristol also said the attendance was a record for a stand-alone game in the Premiership. League-leading Harlequins said they set a women’s club rugby record for attendance on Dec. 28 when 18,055 fans watched the team beat Leicester Tigers 42-17 at Twickenham Stadium. That was not a stand-alone match; it was part of a doubleheader with the Harlequins men’s team.
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Bristol Bears' Ilona Maher during the Premiership Women's Rugby match between Bristol Bears and Gloucester Hartpury at Ashton Gate, Bristol, England, Sunday Jan. 5, 2025. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Bristol Bears' Ilona Maher ahead of the Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby match between Bristol Bears and Gloucester-Hartpury in Bristol, England, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2024. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Bristol Bears' Ilona Maher during the Premiership Women's Rugby match between Bristol Bears and Gloucester Hartpury at Ashton Gate, Bristol, England, Sunday Jan. 5, 2025. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Bristol Bears' Ilona Maher during the Premiership Women's Rugby match between Bristol Bears and Gloucester Hartpury at Ashton Gate, Bristol, England, Sunday Jan. 5, 2025. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
