Derek Chauvin arrested for murder - Is a 3rd Degree Murder charge appropriate?
Third degree murder charge for Derek Chauvin?
I'm not a legal eagle, but I suspect it is, drawing my naive understanding of Minnesota law from internet sources. That law defines third degree murder as "without intent to effect the death of any person, caus[ing] the death of another by perpetrating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind, without regard for human life." Given what we know at present, we don't know that the officer intended to cause death, but his act was eminently dangerous and arguably evinced no regard for human life.
What about Second degree murder?
Second degree murder and higher in Minnesota seem to require intent, which would be much harder to prove (and possibly empirically untrue), leading to a greater chance the jury might not convict, and the copy not suffer any legal punishment.
Manslaughter charges are unlikely.
Voluntary manslaughter is a lighter charge, but apparently is appropriate in a "crime of passion," an act stimulated by an intense emotional response. The cop, from the video, does not seem to be exhibiting any intense emotional response, nor is there anything that suggests the victim did something that would provoke such a response.
Involuntary manslaughter requires only negiligence, for example if the police officer carelessly but inadvertently discharged his gun and killed the victim. Kneeling for 4 minutes on the neck of someone who is telling you they're struggling to breathe is beyond negligence.
Higher charges to force a plea.
My only hesitation is that in many cases involving members of the general public, multiple and higher-level charges might be thrown at them to force them into a plea. It's possible the cop is still getting a bit of special consideration here, as 3rd degree murder might be intended to get him to plead down to manslaughter, but it's not overcharging as so often happens. But as I disapprove of that tactic in general, I won't advocate it in this case, either. So strictly speaking, 3rd degree murder strikes me as right.