WORLD – Third degree murder charge dropped

(CNN) – A Hennepin County judge has dropped a third-degree murder charge against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd.

Chauvin still faces charges of second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death on May 25, which sparked nationwide protests and a reckoning over race and policing this summer.

Chauvin, who was released on $1 million bond earlier this month, was seen in videos of the incident kneeling on Floyd’s neck for almost eight minutes, while the Black man told Chauvin and three other officers that he couldn’t breathe.

The other now-former Minneapolis officers have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. The judge upheld those charges.

Attorneys for each of the officers did not immediately respond to CNN’s requests for comment Thursday morning. CNN has reached out to an attorney representing Floyd’s family.