Derek Chauvin makes first court appearance on federal civil rights charges

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin made his initial appearance Tuesday on federal charges that he abused his position as a cop to violate George Floyd’s civil rights.

Chauvin, 45, who was convicted last month of murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020, wore an orange prison shirt when he appeared remotely in federal court from the maximum-security prison in Oak Park Heights. He wore a surgical mask at first but took it off when US Magistrate Judge Becky Thorson said he could — then occasionally jotted down notes and answered the judge’s questions.