Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose dying gasp under Chauvin’s knee led to the biggest anti-racial outcry in America for generations.
The sentence imposed on Friday missed the 30 years demanded by the public prosecutor.
If behaved well, the 45-year-old chauvin could be paroled after serving two-thirds of his sentence or about 15 years.
Former Police Officer Derek Chauvin broke his long silence in the courtroom on Friday when he was convicted of the murder of George Floyd, Floyd’s family offered condolences and said he hoped further information would give them “a little peace of mind”.
Chauvin, who did not testify at his trial, removed his COVID-19 and reached out to the Floyd family. He only spoke briefly about what he termed “some additional legal matters” – an obvious reference to the federal citizenship lawsuit that he still has faces.
“But, very briefly, I would like to express my condolences to the Floyd family. There will be some other information in the future that may be of interest. And I hope things will give you some peace, ”he said without going into detail.
Chauvin’s attorney Eric Nelson called Floyd’s death “tragic” and that Chauvin’s “brain is littered with what-if” of the day: “What if I just didn’t agree to go that day? What if things would have gone differently? What if I never answered that call? What if what if what if what if? “
Floyd’s family members spoke out and expressed their grief over his death. They demanded the maximum penalty.
“We don’t want to see any more slaps. We’ve been through that before, ”said Terrence Floyd, one of Floyd’s brothers, tearfully.
Floyd’s nephew Brandon Williams said, “Our family is forever broken.” And Floyd’s 7-year-old daughter Gianna said in a video played in court that if she could say anything to her father now it would be, “I miss you and I love you.”
Prosecutor Matthew Frank urged the judge to violate sentencing guidelines and give Chauvin 30 years in prison, saying “tortured is the right word” for what the officer did to Floyd.
“This is not a passing shot, slap in the face. That’s 9½ minutes of cruelty for a man who was helpless and just begging for his life, ”said Frank.
Chauvin’s mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, came in to seek mercy for his son and said his reputation had been wrongly reduced to that of “an aggressive, heartless and callous person” and a racist.
“I can tell you that this is far from the truth,” she told the judge. “I want this court to know that none of this is true and that my son is a good man.” She added, “Derek, I want you to know that I have always believed in your innocence and I never will differ from it. “
“I’ll be there for you when you get home,” she said.
The concrete barricades, rAzor Wire and National Guard patrols the courthouse during Chauvin’s three-week spring trial ended on Friday, reflecting some easing since the April verdict. Still, it was recognized that the conviction was another important step for Minneapolis since Floyd’s Jan.
“Between the incident, the video, the riot, the trial – that’s the culmination,” said Mike Brandt, a local defense attorney who followed the case closely. “The verdict was huge too, but here comes justice.”
Chauvin was convicted of accidental second degree murder, Third degree murder and second degree homicide for holding his knee against Floyd’s neck for up to 9 1/2 minutes when the 46-year-old black man gasped that he could not breathe and went limp.
The video of viewers of Floyd’s arrest on suspicion of selling a counterfeit $ 20 bill in a corner store sparked protests around the world and led to isolated violence in Minneapolis and beyond.
Minnesota Sentencing Policy called for 12 1/2 Years but Judge Peter Cahill agreed with the prosecutors Prior to Friday’s trial, there were aggravating circumstances that could warrant a tougher sentence – including Chauvin treating Floyd with particular cruelty, abusing his position of authority as a police officer and doing so in front of children.
The defense requested parole, saying that Chauvin was the product of a “broken” system and “believed he was doing his job.”
If behaved well, Chauvin could be paroled after serving about two-thirds of his sentence.
Before the verdict was pronounced, the judge denied Chauvin’s request for retrial. Defense attorney Eric Nelson argued that the intense publicity work had tainted the jury pool and that the Minneapolis trial should have been rescheduled.
The judge also denied a defense request for a hearing on possible jury misconduct. Nelson had accused a juror of not being candid about the jury selection for failing to mention his participation in a march in honor of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. last summer.
Also read: It Was Wrong: Juvenile Witness to George Floyd’s Murder Testifies in Court
Also read: US police officer Derek Chauvin convicted of murder in the George Floyd case
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