Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who knelt on the neck of George Floyd, eventually killing him, was in plea bargain talks prior to his arrest on murder charges.

According to NBC News, his legal team was in negotiations with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and the federal prosecutor, according to a spokesperson for Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman. “Ultimately, the negotiations failed,” the spokesman, Chuck Laszewski, told NBC.

Chauvin, 44, along with three other officers, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao were fired after the fatal May 25 incident. Chauvin was arrested May 29 and charged with Third Degree murder, but that charge was upgraded to second-degree murder. The others were charged with aiding and abetting. 

Lane was released Wednesday (June 10) on bail.

Laszewski said at a news conference that took place on the day Chauvin was taken into custody, that his arrest was delayed because the parties were in negotiation. But he did not say what caused the talks to break down or why a plea deal was not reached. 

“I thought we would have another development to talk to you about, but we don’t,” said U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald when the news conference began.

Eric Nelson, a lawyer for Chauvin, did not comment to NBC.

Two weeks of protests around the world were spurred by the police killing of Floyd, with thousands of demonstrators taking to the streets calling for justice. 

It has also moved legislators to take action, like introducing the Justice in Policing Act, which among other things, bans chokeholds and creates a national registry that would track police misconduct.
Last week, legislation was also introduced to end qualified immunity, a legal doctrine that critics say gives protection to government officials and agents who violate individuals’ constitutional and civil rights.