Peter Cahill is the trial judge of Chauvin’s case. He also will preside over the trial of three other former Minneapolis officers charged in Floyd’s death. Their trial is scheduled to begin in August. Cahill was appointed as a Hennepin County District Court judge in 2007, and his current term expires in 2027.
But colleagues and clients have described Nelson as steel-nerved and one of "the best defense attorneys." Nelson, 46, is a founding partner at Halberg Defense, one of the largest criminal defense firms in the region, according to law partner Marsh Halberg.
Nelson received his law degree from the Mitchell Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, and is a founding partner of the law firm Halberg Criminal Defense.
The prosecution is bolstered by the presence of former U.S. acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal; former federal prosecutor Steven Schleicher; and Jerry Blackwell. As one of the most vital cases in the state, and perhaps the country, Nelson will need all the help he can get.
Derek Chauvin's Defense Attorney Eric Nelson on Friday made a final case for his client's character moments before he was handed a 22-and-a-half year sentence.
Who is Derek Chauvin's defense attorney Eric Nelson? Eric Nelson, 46, is a founding partner at Halberg Defense, one of the largest criminal defense firms in the region, according to law partner Marsh Halberg.
During trial, Chauvin's defense attorney was Eric Nelson. Nelson's law firm partner, Marsh Halberg of Halberg Criminal Defense, confirms that "Mr. Nelson does not represent Mr. Chauvin on the state appeal at this time."
Away from the lighter moments, Nelson has appeared well-prepared even as he goes up against a prosecution team many times larger. He has gone hard and consistently at his chief message: that Floyd's consumption of illegal drugs is to blame for his death, rather than something Chauvin did.
Eric Nelson was both on October 30, 1971 in Anniston, Alabama to Brian and Carole Nelson. The second of three children. Eric's older brother, Ryan, passed away before Eric was born. Eric has a younger sister, Jennifer, and was raised in a military family until his parents divorced at the age of seven.
Ravage20191 Night in San Diego2020The StudentComing Through the Rye2015A Walk Among the Tombstones2014Blood Bound2019Eric Nelsen/Appears in
Chauvin was charged with second-degree manslaughter, unintentional second-degree murder, and third-degree murder.
Eric Nelson, 46, is a founding partner at Halberg Defense, one of the largest criminal defense firms in the region, according to law partner Marsh Halberg.
He reminded jurors that “proof beyond a reasonable doubt,” according to the definition read earlier by the judge, was “such proof as ordinary, prudent men and women would act upon in their most important affairs .”. Meanwhile, “reasonable doubt,” was defined as “a doubt that is based upon reason and common sense,” Nelson said.
Nelson did not grant interviews over the duration of Chauvin's trial in order to remain undistracted.
Nelson began his closing arguments by reminding the jury that Chauvin has a right to "presumption of innocence", and it is the job of the state to prove that he is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. "The defendant does not have to try to catch up, he starts at the presumption of innocence.".
Nelson will be the only lawyer sitting alongside Chauvin in court during the trial, while the prosecution team will have 14 attorneys, many of whom will be rotating into the court for different portions of the proceedings.
Chauvin’s trial began on March 29, 2021, after 12 days of jury selection. The trial is being broadcasted live on TV and streamed online around the world. The 46-year-old Nelson, a partner at Halberg Criminal Defense in Minneapolis, is the lone attorney representing Chauvin in court.
Nelson was one of the founding partners of Halberg Criminal Defense in 2005, according to the law firm’s website. He has been a criminal defense attorney exclusively since becoming a lawyer, according to the firm.
Bloomberg Law wrote, “In Minnesota since 2010, Nelson has defended about 880 criminal charges for clients. About 60 percent were traffic-related, and the largest number were defending those accused of driving while intoxicated, a serious criminal offense that can sometimes result in a jury trial, according to court data reviewed by Bloomberg Law.”
Nelson often appears in the courtroom with his assistant, Amy Voss. The legal team of two is significantly outnumbered by the prosecution in Chauvin's trial. However, The New York Times reported that Nelson has received help from other lawyers behind the scenes, including the attorneys for the three other officers charged in Floyd's death.
The original lawyer, Tom Kelly, dropped the case for a medical-related reason. The case, according to Reuters, was assigned to Nelson because he was the on-call attorney for the MPPOA. Nelson received his law degree from the Mitchell Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, and is a founding partner of the law firm Halberg Criminal ...
Chauvin was charged with second-degree manslaughter, unintentional second-degree murder, and third-degree murder.
In total, jurors deliberated for around 10-and-a-half hours before reaching their verdict on Tuesday. As each of the charges against Chauvin was separate, jurors had to reach a separate verdict for each count.
He reminded jurors that “proof beyond a reasonable doubt,” according to the definition read earlier by the judge, was “such proof as ordinary, prudent men and women would act upon in their most important affairs .”. Meanwhile, “reasonable doubt,” was defined as “a doubt that is based upon reason and common sense,” Nelson said.
Nelson did not grant interviews over the duration of Chauvin's trial in order to remain undistracted.
Nelson began his closing arguments by reminding the jury that Chauvin has a right to "presumption of innocence", and it is the job of the state to prove that he is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. "The defendant does not have to try to catch up, he starts at the presumption of innocence.".
The 46-year-old Nelson has a solid reputation as a criminal defense attorney. He's represented clients charged with "homicide, sex offenses, drug offenses, assaults and hundreds of DWI and alcohol-related traffic offenses" according to Halberg Criminal Defense.
Nelson isn't working alone, as the defense has a pretty strong team to back up its star player. The other three officers charged in the case - Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane - all have their own attorneys assigned by the MPPOA. Nelson will consult with them, Peters told AP.
2 jurors dismissed from trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin. The jurors told the judge that a settlement between the city and George Floyd’s family signaled the city believed Chauvin did something wrong, making it hard to be impartial. The Associated Press.
Conversely, the defense is funded through the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association's legal defense fund. The MPPOA is a police advocacy organization made up of local police unions from across the state. Though he was fired soon after Floyd's death, Chauvin earned the right to representation through his years as a member of his local union, the Minneapolis Police Federation.
MPPOA Executive Director Brian Peters said supporters of Chauvin have asked to donate to his defense, but no donations are accepted. Instead, those people are directed to the National Center for Police Defense. Donations to the center aren't used for legal purposes, Peters said, but rather for living expenses for Chauvin and the three other officers accused in Floyd's death, all of whom lost their jobs. Peters said he did not know how much has been donated on behalf of the officers.
Several high profile attorneys are working for the prosecution pro-bono, including Steve Schleicher, who voiced the state’s side during jury selection, and Jerry Blackwell, founding partner of Blackwell Burke, who has questioned several witnesses called to the stand this week.
Lane’s defense attorney, Earl Gray, told USA Today that defense lawyer up against prosecution by the state and federal government is a "David and Goliath" scenario, with the defense as the "underdog.".
The association did not respond to a Fox News request for comment. Defense attorney Natalie Paule, one of the lawyers representing another former officer, Tao Thao, declined to comment on whether their team expects to receive similar financial backing from the police union, citing instruction not to speak with media during Chauvin’s trial.
According to testimony from several witnesses during Chauvin’s trial, Thao was the officer who prevented bystanders gathered outside of Cup Foods on May 25, 2020 from intervening as Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes as he called out that he couldn’t breathe.
Peter Cahill is the trial judge of Chauvin’s case. He also will preside over the trial of three other former Minneapolis officers charged in Floyd’s death. Their trial is scheduled to begin in August. Cahill was appointed as a Hennepin County District Court judge in 2007, and his current term expires in 2027.
Once he was released from custody after posting bond, Cahill gave Chauvin permission to leave the state for security reasons.
These attorneys have been admitted to the case by what is called “pro hac vice,” which allows an attorney from outside the state to practice law for this case without having to be admitted to the Minnesota State Bar Association.
As a trial lawyer, he has nationwide experience in defending class-action lawsuits and commercial disputes. He often presents on trial strategies and how to communicate legal issues to jurors.
Ellison became the attorney general in 2019, and previously represented the state’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Blackwell argued motions during hearings before jury selection and is working on the case pro bono for the prosecution.
Nelson has been the only defense attorney to speak during the jury selection. An assistant, Amy Voss, appeared during jury selection. Nelson, Voss and Chauvin would confer with one another during the jury-selection process.