Derek Chauvin in court June 25, 2021, at his sentencing.Photo: ALEX LEDERMAN/AFP via Getty
Former Minneapolis police officerDerek Chauvin, who already is serving more than 20 years for the murder ofGeorge Floydin police custody, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to violating Floyd’s civil rights, thus avoiding a trial on the separate federal charge.
The plea means Chauvin could face more jail time.
Chauvin wassentencedin June to 22.5 years in prison – or 270 months – on state charges for killing Floyd, a Black man whose 2020 death caught on viral video sparked the nation’s largest civil rights protests in decades along with continuing conversations about police brutality and racial injustice.
Floyd pleaded guilty to one count of violating the person’s civil rights in each case, in exchange for prosecutors' agreement to dismiss other related charges, reportsThe Washington Post.
Prosecutors indicated they will recommend a sentence up to 25 years, to be served concurrently with Chauvin’s prison time for the state conviction – but lasting up to 30 months longer.
George Floyd.
Chauvin said he understood.
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In the state case, Chauvin, 45, wasconvicted of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughterin April after pinning Floyd to the ground with a knee to his neck for about nine minutes.
Chauvin was fired a day after the murder.
President Joe Bidencalled Chauvin’s murder conviction “a giant step forward in the march towards justice in America,” andmet with members of Floyd’s family at the White Houseafter the verdict. The response to Floyd’s death also led Congress to considerlegislation bearing Floyd’s namethat would ban police chokeholds in certain cases and create a national registry of police misconduct.
Three other former officers with Chauvin at the scene of Floyd’s murder — J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao — still await trials on related state and similar federal civil rights charges. All have pleaded not guilty.
source: people.com
