Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison yesterday for the murder of George Floyd.
{SOT}
It’s been more than a year since George Floyd was killed by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
Having prepared a dossier on Chauvin, read all the affidavits available, and studied the evidence with a fine-tooth comb, the court judge finally delivered a verdict against Chauvin.
Judge Peter Cahill:
The court commits you to the custody, the commissioner of corrections, for a period of 270 months, that’s two-seven-zero, that is a 10-year addition to the presumptive sentence of 150 months.
Voiceover:
Derek Chauvin watched on as a powerful message from Floyd’s seven-year-old daughter was delivered:
(If you could say anything to your daddy right now, what would it be?)
George Floyd’s daughter: “It would be ‘I miss you and I love you.’”
The judge went beyond the 12.5 year sentence prescribed under state guidelines, citing Chauvin’s egregious abuse of a position of trust and power to Floyd. Chauvin watched on as the judge said Floyd’s death constitutes sorrow because of Chauvin’s callous demeanour.
After the verdict was delivered, Floyd’s brother and nephew expressed their disappointment, as the sentence fell short of the 30 years requested by prosecutors. Moreover, with good behaviour, Chauvin could get out on parole after serving two-thirds of his sentence.
Floyd’s brother said never would the family be given the chance to get Floyd back.
Philonise Floyd, brother of George Floyd:
My family and I have been given a life sentence. We would never be able to get George back.
Voiceover:
Then, Chauvin’s mother spoke out for the first time.
Carolyn Pawlenty, Mother of Derek Chauvin:
My son’s identity has also been reduced to that as a racist. I want this court to know that none of these things are true.
Voiceover:
Chauvin himself offered his condolences to Floyd’s family.
Derek Chauvin:
I am not able to give a full formal statement at this time, but, very briefly, though, I want to give my condolences to the Floyd family.
Voiceover:
Chauvin was immediately headed right back to prison.
Outside the courthouse, the joy of some 50 people was palpable. They were all smiles as they celebrated. But there was word the sentence was not long enough.
George Floyd, a black American who was arrested in May 2020 because of using a counterfeit 20-dollar bill, was murdered by former police officer Derek Chauvin and died of suffocation. His death triggered massive Black Lives Matter protests across the United States, and “I can’t breathe”, which Floyd said when he was gasping for air, became one of a battery of slogans used by protesters in those protests. The protests raised awareness of racial bias in the country.
Comments