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Derek Chauvin Found Guilty on All Counts in Murder of George Floyd
On Tuesday, the jury of the high-profile case connected to the murder of George Floyd last May has found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all counts.
The jury decided to convict Chauvin, 45, for second- and third-degree murder. He was also found guilty of second-degree manslaughter.
State moves to revoke Chauvin’s bail.
Judge Cahill grants it.
Here he is as a deputy takes him away in handcuffs. #DerekChauvinTrial pic.twitter.com/vyjOIowME2
— Ana Lastra (@AnaViLastra) April 20, 2021
The former police officer was seen on a viral video, pinning down George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man, to the ground using his knee on Floyd’s neck. This happened during Memorial Day last May 2020. The incident lasted more than nine minutes. It happened after the police responded to a report, claiming that Floyd paid with a counterfeit $20 bill.
Phone videos of the ordeal went vial online and fueled months of protests across the country and abroad. These protests condemned police brutality and called for racial justice. The trial, which started in March, has been widely watched as it was the first criminal trial in Minnesota to be televised and live-streamed.
With the conviction, the former police officer faces 12 and a half years (150 months) in prison, based on sentencing guidelines intended for first-time offenders. However, according to the prosecution, the incident involved aggravating factors that would require longer prison time.
Trial of Derek Chauvin Ends with Conviction
Throughout the highly publicized trial, prosecutors presented the case that Chauvin’s knee led to Floyd’s death by loss of oxygen. Meanwhile, the defense claimed that Floyd had underlying issues and that the methamphetamine and fentanyl in his body caused his death while struggling with the police.
The prosecution rested its case on the third week of the trial. It called a total of 38 witnesses, and it has shown dozens of video clips. Meanwhile, the defense rested their case on Thursday. They called seven witnesses over two days. Both sides stated their closing arguments on Monday.
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