Derek Chauvin’s Sentencing Hearing Set for Mid-June
Written by SOURCE on April 24, 2021
George Floyd’s convicted murderer will receive his sentencing in less than two months.
According to CNN, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16, a little over one year after Floyd was killed while in police custody. Chauvin was recorded kneeling on the 46-year-old Black mans’ neck during an attempted arrest on May 25, 2020. Footage of the incident shows Floyd repeatedly telling officers he couldn’t breathe before he loses consciousness. Floyd was transported to a nearby hospital shortly after, and was pronounced dead.
The video sparked national outrage and calls for Chauvin to be prosecuted. The ex-officer was ultimately charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in connection to Floyd’s death. A Minnesota jury found him guilty on all counts earlier this week.
CNN reports Chauvin is now facing a combined sentence of 75 years behind bars. The second-degree murder charge reportedly carries a maximum prison sentence of 40 years, while the maximum charges for third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter are 25 and 10 years, respectively; however, it’s reported that Chauvin will likely be hit with a 15-year prison sentence because he has no prior criminal record.
According to ABC News, Chauvin and his legal team will have 90 days to appeal the court’s decision.
Chauvin’s murder trial lasted about three weeks, and included testimony from witnesses and medical experts like Dr. Martin Tobin, a pulmonologist who studies the physiology of breathing. Lisa Christensen, an alternate juror for the trial, said it was Tobin’s testimony that convinced her of Chauvin’s guilt.
“I just felt like the prosecution made a really good, strong argument. Dr. Tobin was the one that really did it for me,” she said. “He explained everything. I understood it down to where he said this is the moment that he lost his life, really got to me.”
