Police officer charged with George Floyd's murder appears in court

A judge has set bail at $1 million (£800,000) for the police officer charged with the murder of George Floyd, after he appeared in court.

As well as being charged with second-degree murder (intentional murder which lacks premeditation) Derek Chauvin, 44, is further charged with third-degree murder (where someone acts in a harmful way but without the intent of causing death) and second-degree manslaughter (where a risk is taken that results in death) in relation to Floyd's death on May 25 in Minneapolis.

At the hearing, Chauvin - who said virtually nothing - appeared in court via video link for the 11-minute hearing.

Floyd died during arrest when his neck was knelt on for more than eight minutes.

George Floyd died after his neck was knelt on for almost nine minutes. Credit: Twitter/@AttorneyCrump

Since Floyd's death, protests have broken out around the world, in response to the incident.

Chauvin and three other officers on the scene were fired the day after Floyd’s death two weeks ago.

The other officers - J Kueng, Thomas Lane and TouThao - are charged with aiding and abetting in the death of Floyd.

Lane’s family has set up a website seeking donations to help him meet his $750,000 (£590,000) bail - the bond for the other officers is the same.

The site highlights Lane’s relative lack of experience - he had only recently completed his probationary period - and his questions to Chauvin about whether Floyd should be rolled onto his side.

It also noted his volunteer work.

Floyd’s death has ignited calls to reform the Minneapolis Police Department, which community activists have long accused on entrenched racial discrimination and brutality.

A majority of Minneapolis City Council members said Sunday that they favour disbanding the department entirely, though they have yet to offer concrete plans for what would replace it.

“Nobody is saying we want to abolish health or safety,” Council Member Alondra Cano told local radio station WCCO-AM on Monday.

“What we are saying is we have a broken system that is not producing the outcomes we want.”

Chauvin will next appear in court on June 29.