Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced Friday to more than two decades in jail following his conviction for the 2020 murder of George Floyd.
Here is what you need to know:
- The sentencing: Chauvin has been sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison in the murder of Floyd. Prosecutors had asked for a 30-year sentence, and Chauvin’s attorney asked for probation and time served. Chauvin was convicted in April of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Technically, Chauvin faced up to 40 years in prison for second-degree murder, up to 25 years for third-degree murder and up to 10 years for manslaughter.
- Judge's remarks: Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill expressed his condolences for Floyd's family moments before handing down his sentence for Chauvin. He said the sentence was "not based on emotion or sympathy." "But at the same time I want to acknowledge the deep and tremendous pain that all the families are feeling, especially the Floyd family. You have our sympathies," Cahill said. "It has been painful throughout Hennepin County, throughout the state of Minnesota, and even the country. But most importantly we need to recognize the pain of the Floyd family."
- Chauvin speaks: "I want to give my condolences to the Floyd family," Chauvin said during a brief statement before the sentencing. "There's going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest and I hope things will give you some peace of mind." It was not immediately clear what additional information Chauvin was referencing.
- Floyd's daughter speaks: Floyd's 7-year-old daughter delivered the first victim impact statement at Chauvin's sentencing. "I ask about him all the time," she said. Someone in the video asked Gianna what she would tell her father if she could see him again. "It would be I miss you and I love you," she said.
- Haunted by his brother's death: "Every day, I have begged for justice to be served, reliving the execution of George while others begged and pleaded for officer Chauvin to simply just allow George to take a breath. I haven't had a real night's sleep because of the nightmares I constantly have, hearing my brother beg and plead for his life over and over again," Philonise Floyd said in court today before the sentencing. "I have had to sit through each day of officer Derek Chauvin's trial and watch the video of George dying for hours, over and over again. For an entire year, I had to relive George being tortured to death every hour of the day, only taking naps and not knowing what a good night's sleep is anymore."
- Biden reacts: President Biden reacted Friday to the sentencing, telling reporters in the Oval Office, “I don’t know all the circumstances that were considered, but it seems to me, under the guidelines, that seems to be appropriate.”
- Minnesota attorney general calls for change: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison placed the sentencing this afternoon in perspective, saying he hopes "this moment gives us pause and allows us to rededicate ourselves to the real societal change that will move us much further along the road to justice." "My hope is that he takes the time to learn something about the man whose life he took and about the movement that rolls up to call for justice in the wake of George Floyd's torture and death," he said.