Third-degree murder charges were reinstated Thursday against Derek Chauvin after a series of appellate issues. Here's a timeline of what happened.
May 29, 2020: Derek Chauvin is charged by the Hennepin County attorney with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the May 25 death of George Floyd.
June 3: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's office adds a charge of second-degree murder.
Oct. 22: District Judge Peter Cahill dismisses third-degree murder count, citing state law saying that "a third-degree murder charge can be sustained only in situations in which the defendant's actions ... were not specifically directed at the particular person whose death occurred."
Feb. 1, 2021: The Minnesota Court of Appeals upholds the third-degree murder conviction of ex-Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor in the 2017 shooting death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. In the 2-1 ruling, the Appeals Court rules that third-degree murder can apply even when conduct or force is directed at a single person.
Feb. 4: Citing the Appeals Court ruling, the state Attorney General's Office files a motion to reinstate the third-degree murder charge against Chauvin, arguing that Cahill now has clear guidance on the elements of third-degree murder.
Feb. 11: Cahill denies the motion, saying he disagrees with the Appeals Court's majority opinion that third-degree murder can apply to a single person.
Feb. 12: The Attorney General's Office appeals Cahill's ruling.