A crowd gathered outside of Columbus Division of Police headquarters April 20 following former Minnesotan police officer Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdict in the murder of George Floyd. Credit: Max Garrison | Lantern file photo
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd Friday.
Chauvin has been in prison since being charged and convicted April 20 of second-and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter of Floyd. He will receive credit for those 199 days already served.
Minnesota Judge Peter Cahill ruled an additional four aggravating factors to Chauvin’s case, including that he treated Floyd with “particular cruelty,” abusing his power as a police officer, committing the crime in front of children and with the participation of three others, according to prosecutor Matthew Frank. This was after prosecutors asked for a harsher sentencing for Chauvin, following the charges he received in April. The prosecution sought at least 30 years, 40 being the maximum sentencing in Minnesota for second-degree murder.
A video of the arrest showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck, pinning him to the ground for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. The video captured Floyd pleading with Chauvin saying, “I can’t breathe,” numerous times. He later died at the hospital.
Chauvin has been in a maximum-security prison since his conviction. His motion for a retrial was denied by a judge hours before his sentencing.
The sentencing hearing, which took place at the Hennepin County Government Center, featured statements from Floyd’s family and loved ones, prosecutor Matthew Frank, Chauvin’s mother Carolyn Pawlenty and defense counsel Eric J. Nelson. Chauvin declined to comment but gave his condolences to the Floyd family.
The judge said he will release the document describing his sentencing decision online.
