Derek Chauvin Sentenced to 22.5 Years for Murder of George Floyd

Former Minneapolis Police Officer Convicted in State Trial

Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who killed George Floyd in Minneapolis last year, was sentenced Friday to 22 and a half years in prison for the second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter of George Floyd.

George Floyd's Murder and the Aftermath

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was murdered by Chauvin, a 44-year-old white police officer, in Minneapolis. Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes, despite Floyd's repeated pleas that he couldn't breathe. Floyd's death sparked nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice.

Additional Convictions and Sentences

In addition to the state charges, Chauvin also faces federal civil rights charges. Two former Minneapolis police officers who assisted in the fatal arrest of George Floyd have been convicted on federal civil rights charges.