The guilty verdict in the case of Derek Chauvin won’t derail the Justice Department’s investigation into the former Minneapolis Police officer, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Tuesday night.
In a statement reacting to Chauvin being found guilty on all three charges in the death of George Floyd during an arrest last year, Mr. Garland confirmed the probe will continue.
“While the state’s prosecution was successful, I know that nothing can fill the void that the loved ones of George Floyd have felt since his death. The Justice Department has previously announced a federal civil rights investigation into the death of George Floyd. This investigation is ongoing,” Mr. Garland said in a statement.
In February, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the department has called witnesses and impaneled a grand jury. The paper also reported that the probe’s investigation has zeroed in on Chauvin, not the other three officers facing state charges for Floyd’s death.
The Justice Department began the investigation under former Attorney General William P. Barr. It is focused on whether Chauvin and the other officers violated Floyd’s civil rights during the arrest.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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