Prosecutors Want to Delay Former Officers' Trial Over Floyd Death Because of COVID

Prosecutors in the case against the four former Minneapolis officers charged in the death of George Floyd have requested that the trial be delayed by three months, citing the COVID-19 pandemic.

March 8 has been the date for the trial to start, the Star Tribune reports.

Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane are scheduled to be tried together. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter, and the others are charged with aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter.

In its motion, the prosecution argued that putting off the trial until June 7 "appropriately balances the need to protect public health with the need to ensure that this case is resolved expeditiously."

Chauvin's attorney, Eric Nelson, earlier this month made a motion for a delay in the trial for what he alleged was the mishandling by prosecutors of how they share evidence with the defense.

Nelson said he has no intention to object to the prosecution seeking a delay in the trial.

Attorneys for the other former officers have not said how they will respond to the prosecution request.