Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been sentenced to 22½ years in prison for the murder of George Floyd on May 25th, 2020.
At a sentencing hearing at the Hennepin County Court in Minneapolis on Friday, Judge Peter Cahill said that he had determined the sentencing not based on “emotion, or sympathy” or on “public opinion”.
The former police officer will serve 15 years of the sentence, if he qualifies for parole. He was found guilty of murdering Floyd after a six-week trial in April. A video of Chauvin pressing his knee on the victim’s neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds went viral last year, prompting global demonstrations against racial injustice and police brutality.
While the typical sentence for second-degree murder in Minnesota for a person with no criminal record like Chauvin is usually 12½ years, the presiding judge had already ruled that four aggravating factors applied in this case which could lead to a longer sentence. These included the fact that Chauvin acted with particular cruelty and that the events took place in front of minors.
The judge added another 10 years to the typical sentence, but many analysts had expected longer prison time for the crime.
Chauvin, who has been held in solitary confinement since his conviction, was in court for the sentencing hearing.
In brief comments towards the end of the hearing he gave his condolences to the Floyd family and said that he could not say more because of another federal case against him.
His mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, spoke on behalf of the Chauvin family.
“My son is a good man . . . Derek is a quiet, thoughtful, honourable and selfless man. He has a big heart and he has always put others before his own.”
She said that while she had not spoken publicly before, she had supported her son throughout the process. “Derek, I want you to know that I will always believe in your innocence and I will never waver from that,” she said, adding that she had received letters from people worldwide who also believe he is innocent.
Representatives from the Floyd family delivered victim-impact statements in court at the sentence hearing and called on the judge to impose the maximum sentence.
“We don’t want to see any more smacks on the wrist,” said Mr Floyd’s brother Terence, suggesting he was speaking for the entire black community. “The facts of this case were proven beyond reasonable doubt and three guilty verdicts have been rendered.”
Turning to Chauvin, he said: “Why? What was going through your head when you had your knee on my brother’s neck?
Another brother, Philonise, said that his life changed for ever after his brother’s death. “Every day I have begged for justice to be served, reliving the execution of George while others begged and pleaded for Officer Chauvin to simply allow George just to take a breath.”
Among the victim-impact statements presented during the hearing was a video of George Floyd’s seven-year-old daughter, Gianna Floyd. Asked what she would say if her father was there today, she replied, “that I miss you and I love you”.
Floyd’s nephew Brandon Williams also spoke. “Not only did he kill George, he also showed a complete lack of human life as he did so,” he said. “Our family is forever broken.”
Matthew Frank, Minnesota’s assistant attorney general, also asked the judge to consider the aggravating circumstances that would lead to a longer sentence than set out in the guidelines. “This is not the typical second degree unintentional murder,” he said, noting that even one aggravating factor is enough to double the typical sentencing.
He said that Mr Floyd was treated with particular cruelty. “I think tortured is the right word.”
