A judge has ruled that John Turscak, the inmate who stabbed former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in an Arizona prison, will be allowed to represent himself in court.
Turscak attacked Chauvin with a makeshift knife, stabbing him 22 times at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Tucson last November.
Chauvin, known for his role in the killing of George Floyd in May 2020, was moved to FCI Tucson in August 2022 to serve concurrent sentences for violating Floyd’s civil rights and second-degree murder.
The Supreme Court recently rejected Chauvin’s appeal of his murder conviction.
Judge Lynnette Kimmins granted Turscak’s request to waive his right to legal representation, but ruled that he must still be provided with advisory or standby counsel, as well as reasonable access to law books, witnesses, and other resources necessary to prepare his defense.
Turscak reportedly admitted that he had been contemplating harming Chauvin for about a month due to Chauvin’s high-profile status.
He chose the day after Thanksgiving, known as “Black Friday,” to carry out the attack in connection with the Black Lives Matter movement, according to NBC News.
Turscak faces charges of attempted murder, assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
