Attorneys for the defense and prosecution are asking a Hennepin County district judge to delay the March trial of three former Minneapolis police officers until their trial in federal court ends.

A federal judge this week scheduled jury selection for the civil rights trial of Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane to begin Jan. 20 in St. Paul. The state's trial against the former officers is set to begin March 7.

Because it's unknown how long the federal trial will take, "a continuance should be granted in the interest of justice," according to a letter to Judge Peter Cahill that was signed by Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank and defense lawyers for the former officers.

The three men face separate charges in federal and state courts in connection with the killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. In federal court, they are accused of abusing their power as police officers to deprive Floyd of his civil rights. In state court, they are charged with aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter.

Former officer Derek Chauvin was tried separately in 2021 in state court and found guilty of murder and manslaughter. Chauvin was set to enter a second trial in federal court along with his former colleagues but pleaded guilty on the civil rights charges in December.