Judge orders ex-officer’s address in Floyd killing to be kept ‘confidential’
Updated: 2:42 p.m.
The judge overseeing the case of the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering George Floyd has imposed new conditions on his release from prison.
One day after former officer Derek Chauvin was released from custody after posting a $1 million bond, Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill on Thursday amended the conditions of his release due to “safety concerns.”
Chauvin is charged with murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s killing. Three other ex-officers charged with aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter had previously been released pending trial.
While Chauvin was originally required to remain in Minnesota as a condition of release unless the court gave him permission to leave, the new order allows him to move to a bordering state. His address may be shared between law enforcement agencies and attorneys involved in the cases but will otherwise be be kept confidential.
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Chauvin is also required to be reachable by cellphone at all times and to surrender his passport.
Earlier conditions for his release set in June require Chauvin to obey laws, attend court appearances, not have any contact with the victim’s family, not work in law enforcement and surrender all firearms and permits.
Gov. Tim Walz called up 100 members of the Minnesota National Guard after Chauvin’s release. It also sparked renewed protests in Minneapolis that have resulted in dozens of arrests in recent days.
The judge also issued another order setting a deadline of Oct. 23 for the four former officers charged in George Floyd's killing to file their planned defenses with the court.
He’s also requiring prosecutors to submit names of the expert witnesses they plan to call in the case by December.
Floyd was killed on May 25 in south Minneapolis. Body camera and bystander footage show Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. Former officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane face charges of aiding and abetting murder. The trial is scheduled to start in March.
Chauvin also faces tax evasion charges in Washington County, which are not related to Floyd's death. Prosecutors say Chauvin and his wife underreported nearly a half-million dollars in income between 2014 and 2019.