The former Minneapolis police officer facing trial for murder over the May 25 death of black man George Floyd has been released after posting bail.
Derek Chauvin was transferred from the maximum security Minnesota Correctional Facility in Oak Park Heights on Wednesday morning to the Hennepin County Jail where he could post bail, WCCO radio reported. His bond was set at $1.25 million, or $1 million subject to conditions.
Floyd's death while under arrest as Chauvin knelt on his neck sparked a new wave of Black Lives Matter protests across the US, often accompanied by rioting and other unrest in the run-up to the November 3 presidential election.
His defence attorney has pointed to Floyd's reported claim during his arrest that he was suffering from COVID-19, and argued that his death was caused by high doses of the opiate fentanyl and stimulant methamphetamine in his bloodstream at the time.
The shopkeeper who called the police after Floyd allegedly paid for a packet of cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill claimed he appeared "awfully drunk".
Documents from the prosecution detail four incidents where detainees accused Chauvin of overzealous use of neck, head or upper body restraints during their arrests.
The three other officers involved in Floyd's death - J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao - are also awaiting trial.