Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin Sentenced To 22.5 Years For The Tragic Death Of George Floyd

Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin Sentenced To 22.5 Years For The Tragic Death Of George Floyd

This Friday, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin learned his fate as a judge finally sentenced him for the murder of George Floyd.

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As we previously reported, Chauvin, 45, was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for about 9 minutes and 29 seconds as the Black man said he couldn’t breathe and begged for his mother. It was an act captured on bystander video, which prompted protests around the world.

Today, Judge Peter finally handed down his time, giving chauvin 22 and a half years in prison for Floyd’s death. Bridgett Floyd, George Floyd’s sister and founder of the George Floyd Memorial Foundation, issued a statement moments after. She said, “The sentence handed down today to the Minneapolis police officer who killed my brother George Floyd shows that matters of police brutality are finally being taken seriously,” the statement said. “However, we have a long way to go and many changes to make before Black and Brown people finally feel like they are being treated fairly and humanely by law enforcement in this country.”

The family’s attorney Ben Crump also reacted to the verdict on Twitter saying, “22.5 YEARS! This historic sentence brings the Floyd family and our nation one step closer to healing by delivering closure and accountability.”

As we previously reported, Floyd died on Memorial Day 2020 when Chauvin, 45, kneeled on him outside a corner store in Minneapolis after several officers responded to a call of a counterfeit bill. Bystanders captured the incident on video, and the murder sparked nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism.

Before being sentenced, Chauvin broke his silence and offered condolences to Floyd’s family.

“Due to legal matters, I’m not able to give a full formal statement … I give my condolences to the Floyd family, there’s gonna be some other information in the future that will be of interest and I hope these will give you some peace of mind.”