Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin will serve 245 months in federal prison for violating George Floyd’s civil rights.
The former police officer Derek Chauvin has been federally sentenced to 21 years in prison of the United States, on Thursday, July 7, for the murder of the African American man George Floyd in Minneapolis (United States). The 46-year-old ex-officer had already been sentenced to 22.5 years by the Minnesota state judiciary for murder. But he had appealed the verdict.
The federal sentence of 21 years in prison, announced July 7, is final because it stemmed directly from a plea agreement. The American television channel CNN reports that the chief judge of the court, Paul Magnuson, sentenced Chauvin to death 252 months, but subtracted seven months of service. In addition, US attorneys asked the court to serve the ex-cop’s sentence alongside his 22.5-year state sentence.
“This conviction should send a strong message that the Justice Department stands ready to prosecute law enforcement officers who use deadly force without basis. […] While no amount of jail time can undo the tragic consequences of Derek Chauvin’s violent crimes, we hope this ruling brings some justice to the families and communities affected,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke.
According to Franceinfo, the federal judiciary had opened its own case, charging Derek Chauvin and his three former colleagues with “violation of constitutional rights”. CNN adds that the convicted ex-cop also pleaded guilty, admitting to using excessive force in another count in 2017 to violate the civil rights of a 14-year-old.