Derek Chauvin Pleads Not Guilty to Violating Teen’s Civil Rights in 2017; Used Same Restraint Tactic as He Did With George Floyd

Derek Chauvin pleaded not guilty to violating a teen’s civil rights in 2017.

Derek Chauvin has already been declared a murderer after he was convicted for killing George Floyd. On Thursday, Chauvin entered a not guilty plea in connection to a 2017 case involving a teen, in which he retained the child similar to how he restrained Floyd.

In the indictment, Chauvin is accused of hitting a 14-year-old boy with a flashlight, holding him by his neck, and holding the boy down with his knee on his neck and upper back. At the time, the boy was handcuffed and not resisting. The boy was bleeding from his ear and had to get two stitches.

CBS News reports that this case was just one of several instances where Chauvin used neck, head, or upper body restraints. Before murdering Floyd, prosecutors say Chauvin used the deadly tactic seven other times. In four of the instances, prosecutors said Chauvin held the restraints “beyond the point when such force was needed under the circumstances.”

After being convicted of the murder of Floyd, Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison. On Tuesday, the three other officers involved in Floyd’s death -Thomas Lane, J. Kueng, and Tou Thao – were arraigned. They have pleaded not guilty to civil rights violations.