The deal, which Derek Chauvin was prepared to take, would have taken any federal charges off the table and could have resulted in a sentence of up to 10 years. However, Barr believed it was still too early in the investigation to extend such an offer, and that allowing it would appear overly lenient, the Times reported.
Chauvin having discussions of a plea agreement were previously reported, but the earlier reports had not included the detail that he was prepared to plead to a specific charge.
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Floyd, an unarmed Black man, died on May 25 after Chauvin knelt on his neck for several minutes over Floyd’s pleas that he was unable to breathe. Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter May 29, but two days later Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison