George Floyd murder: Derek Chauvin sentenced to 22 years in prison
United States (US), Minneapolis: Derek Chauvin, the white police officer who was convicted for the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, has been sentenced 22 years and six months in prison.
Delivering the verdict, the presiding judge Peter Cahill said Chauvin abused his position of trust and authority. Cahill warned, however, that his ruling was not based on emotion, sympathy or public opinion.
“What the sentence is not based on is emotion, or sympathy, but at the same time, I want to acknowledge the deep and tremendous pain that all the families are feeling, especially the Floyd family,” he said.
Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, was found guilty on two counts of murder and guilty on one count of manslaughter in Floyd’s death in May 2020. The man was seen on video pressing his knee on Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes before he eventually died. The police had arrested him after an employee at a convenience store claimed Floyd bought cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill.
Chauvin and the other three former officers – Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane – were fired the day after Floyd’s death.
Derek Chauvin’s sentencing: Here are some reactions
The sentencing of Derek Chauvin has undoubtedly sparked a wave of reactions – not just in the United States, but in other parts of the world.
Chauvin’s mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, spoke on behalf of the family and described her son as a devoted member of the Minneapolis Police Department for 19 years.
“I believe a lengthy sentence will not serve Derek well. When you sentence my son, you will also be sentencing me. I will not be able to see Derek, talk to him on the phone or give him our special hug. Plus, the fact that when he is released, his father and I most likely will not be here,” she said.
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