ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday sentenced Derek Chauvin to 21 years in prison for violating George Floyd’s civil rights, telling the former Minneapolis police officer that what he did was “just wrong” and “offensive “.
U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson strongly criticized Chauvin for his actions on May 25, 2020, even though he chose the lower end of the sentencing range required in the plea agreement. Chauvin, who is white, pinned Floyd to the sidewalk outside a corner store in Minneapolis for more than nine minutes as the black man pleaded, “I can’t breathe,” and became unresponsive.
Floyd’s killing has sparked worldwide protests against police brutality and racism.
“I really don’t know why he did what he did,” Magnuson said. “Putting your knee on a person’s neck until they die is just wrong. … Your behavior is wrong and it is offensive.”
Magnuson, who earlier this year presided over the federal trial and convictions of three other officers at the scene, blamed Chauvin alone for what happened. Chauvin was the most senior officer present as police tried to arrest Floyd while responding to a 911 call accusing him of using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes. And Chauvin dismissed questions from one of the other officers about whether Floyd should be turned over.
“You completely destroyed the lives of three young officers by taking command of the scene,” Magnuson said.
Chauvin’s plea agreement calls for a 20- to 25-year sentence to be served concurrently with a 22 1/2-year sentence for his murder and manslaughter charges.
Because of differences in parole conditions in the state and federal systems, that means Chauvin will serve slightly more time behind bars than he would have with the state sentence alone. He will be eligible for parole after serving 15 years in a state sentence, but must serve nearly 18 years of his federal time before he can be released.
He will also serve his time in the federal system, where he may be safer and may be held under fewer restrictions than in the state system.
Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, asked for 20 years, saying Chauvin is remorseful and will make that clear in court. But Chauvin, in brief remarks, did not issue a direct apology or expression of remorse to Floyd’s family.
Instead, he told the family he wished Floyd’s children “all the best in their lives.”
Chauvin was wearing an orange prison uniform and a protective mask, according to media reports from the courtroom. He waved to his family and friends in the gallery as he entered. Media reports made no mention of Chauvin’s apparent reaction to any part of the hearing.
Prosecutor Lee Ann Bell asked Magnuson to give Chauvin the full 25 years possible in the plea deal, emphasizing the “special responsibility” he had as a police officer to care for the people in his custody.
“He wasn’t a rookie,” Bell said. “He knew what his training was. … He admitted to this court that his conduct was wrong and he did it anyway.
Floyd’s brother Filonis also asked for the maximum possible sentence, telling Magnuson that Floyd’s family was “sentenced to life.” Afterward, he said he was upset Chauvin didn’t get more time behind bars.
Chauvin’s mother, Carolyn Polenti, told Magnuson that her son did not go to work with the intention of killing anyone.
“A lot of things have been written about him that are completely wrong, like he’s racist, which he’s not, he’s heartless,” she said. “I believe it is God’s will that we all forgive.”
Chauvin’s guilty plea includes an admission that he willfully deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including unreasonable force by a police officer.
It also included an allegation of violating the rights of a black 14-year-old boy he restrained in an unrelated case in 2017. John Pope, now 18, told Magnuson that Chauvin “doesn’t care about the outcome” of it restriction.
“By the grace of God, I lived to see another day,” Pope said. “It will continue to be a part of me for the rest of my life.”
Magnuson has not set sentencing dates for the other three officers who were at the scene — Tou Tao, J. Alexander Keung and Thomas Lane — who were convicted in February on federal civil rights charges.
Lane is also scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 21 after pleading guilty in state court to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Tao and Kueng refused plea deals and are due to go on trial on aiding and abetting charges on October 24.
___
Find complete AP coverage of the killing of George Floyd at:
Add Comment