Derek Chauvin pleads guilty to civil rights charges in killing of George Floyd

Chauvin appeared in federal court in person on Wednesday morning to change his plea to guilty. It means he will not face a federal trial in January, though he could end up spending more years behind bars when a judge sentences him at a later date.

All four former officers were charged broadly in federal court with depriving Floyd of his rights while acting under government authority, but the federal indictment broke down the counts even further.

Opponents pushed back against the proposal, arguing that it would leave the communities already affected by violence more vulnerable.

Associated Press contributed to this report