Former Minneapolis Police Department Officer Derek Chauvin is set to appear in court this afternoon to be sentenced for the murder of George Floyd.
On May 25, 2020, Chauvin responded to a call regarding an individual using counterfeit currency at a local convenient story. After arriving, Chauvin encountered George Floyd. The former police officer ultimately handcuffed Floyd and later placed him face-first on the ground. Tragically, things came to a violent end as Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd for more than nine minutes. Floyd was denied medical attention initially and was pronounced dead shortly after he received medical assistance.
In the days following Floyd’s death, thousands of protesters across the world took to the streets. After more public attention was brought to Floyd’s death, Chauvin and three of his former colleagues were charged. Ultimately, he was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Having waited in custody for a few months, Chauvin is prepared to receive the sentence for the crimes he was convicted of. Typically, those convicted of second-degree unintentional murder with no prior criminal history receive a 12.5 years prison sentence. However, there are several aggravating factors that could extend his sentence. Legal experts believe that Chauvin will earn a sentence of anywhere between 20-25 years in prison. At most, he will serve 30 years in jail. At the very least, he could spend a significant amount of time on probation with no jail time. In the end, Judge Peter Cahill will have the same time.
