Minnesota AG Seeks Harsher Sentence Against Derek Chauvin

Prosecutors plan to seek a harsher sentence for ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is one of four charged for the murder of George Floyd. 

According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison informed Judge Peter Cahill of his decision to ask for a more severe punishment against Chauvin due to a number of reasons. Ellison categorized Chauvin’s actions as “especially heinous” because Floyd was killed in front of children and in a “particularly vulnerable” state, as he was handcuffed and forced onto the pavement. 

The AG also noted how Floyd repeatedly told Chauvin and other officers that he couldn’t breathe, calling Chauvin’s response “particular cruelty.” Ellison mentioned the officers’ failure to get Floyd immediate medical attention, even when it was clear he had become unresponsive.  

Ellison’s decision to seek a harsher sentence comes after recent bodycam footage was released showing Floyd pleading for officers to not shoot him. Floyd’s family has also filed a federal wrongful death civil rights lawsuit against the Minneapolis Police Department and the city of Minneapolis.  

“The more video evidence you see, the more unjustifiable George Floyd’s torture and death at the hands of the police becomes,” the family’s attorney Ben Crump said in the statement. “Although the allegation against George was for a non-violent offense involving a $20 bill, the police officers approached him with guns drawn, simply because he was a Black man. As this video shows, he never posed any threat. The officers’ contradictions continue to build. If not for the videos, the world might never have known about the wrongs committed against George Floyd.”