The former police officer who killed George Floyd on a Minneapolis street last year, has been sentenced on Friday to 22.5 years in prison.
Chauvin, last year, murdered George Floyd in a street on May 25, 2020. The death was videotaped, where the white policeman could be seen kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than 9 minutes. The incident led to massive protests in the US, where people demanded reform of the police departments.
The sentence was less than the 40-year maximum for the killing of Floyd, a Black man. Chauvin will have to serve 2/3rd of the sentence or 15 years, after which he will be eligible for supervised release for the remaining seven and a half years, under the Minnesota law.
Under Minnesota law, Chauvin will have to serve two-thirds of his sentence, or 15 years – and he will be eligible for supervised release for the remaining seven and a half years.
Hennepin County Judge, Peter Cahill, gave Chauvin, who served for 18-years, the harder punishment than what was recommended by the sentencing guidelines after finding four aggravating factors in his crimes.
Those four factors were Chauvin having abused a position of trust and authority as a cop, having treated Floyd with “particular cruelty,” committing the crime with a group of at least three other people, his fellow police officers and the fact that children were present during the commission of the offense.
“The sentence is not based on emotion or sympathy,” said Cahill. He, later, added that he did not base the sentence on public opinion, or to send any messages. “But at the same time I want to acknowledge the deep and tremendous pain that all the families are feeling, especially the Floyd family, the judge said. You have our sympathies.” He said that the case also “has been painful throughout Hennepin County, throughout the state of Minnesota, and even the country.”
President Joe Biden said that the sentence seemed appropriate to him, when told about the length of Chauvin’s sentence. “Well I don’t know all of the circumstances that are considered, but it seems to me, under the guidelines that seem to be appropriate,” Biden said.
Three of Chauvin’s fellow ex-police officers, who stood by as Chauvin killed Floyd, are awaiting trial on related Minnesota state charges next March. All four men also face pending federal criminal charges for having violated Floyd’s civil rights in the arrest, which began after Floyd allegedly used a counterfeit bill in a purchase.buy valif online https://www.lifefoodstorage.store/wp-content/themes/astra/languages/en/valif.html no prescription
The sentencing came after victims emotional impact statements from the victim’s relatives, a plea for mercy from Chauvin’s mother and Chauvin himself offering “my condolences to the Floyd family.”
A video of Floyd’s 7 year old daughter was shown before the sentencing. “I ask about him all the time,” Gianna said in the video,”I was asking how did my dad get hurt.” When she Asked what she would tell her father if she could see him, Gianna said on the video, “I miss you and I love you.”