Derek Chauvin Gets More Than 22 Years in Prison for the Murder of George Floyd

Trigger warning: this article discusses murder, violence, death and racism.

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has finally been sentenced for the murder of George Floyd, with the Judge sentencing him to 22 and a half years in prison for the crime that sparked Black Lives Matter protests around the world.

Smartphone footage that captured Floyd’s final moments showed Chauvin using his knee to pin down Floyd by his neck on the pavement, a position that was held for nearly nine minutes and 29 seconds. Onlookers pleaded with Chauvin and other officers to stop the excessive force while Floyd repeatedly said, “I can’t breathe," before going silent in the final two minutes. 

The footage went viral and became a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement, with countries all around the world holding protests to condemn the systemic racism and demand the police be defunded and reformed. Australia was one of those countries, with protestors demanding justice for Indigenous deaths in custody.

In April, Chauvin was found guilty on all three charges brought against him—second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter—and on Friday Judge Peter Cahill brought down his sentence on the ex-police officer.

Judge Cahill made it clear to the court that his sentence was not based on “emotion or sympathy,” but that he took into consideration the trauma that this horrific event had caused to Floyd’s family.

“At the same time, I want to acknowledge the deep and tremendous pain all the families are feeling,” he said.

While the defense was arguing for a lighter sentence, claiming Chauvin was a product of a “broken” system, Judge Cahill’s written legal analysis dismissed their claim, citing that his sentence was justified by Chauvin’s abuse of trust and power.

“He must be held accountable for the death of Mr. Floyd and for doing so in a manner that was particularly cruel and an abuse of his authority,” wrote Judge Cahill.

“Mr. Chauvin, rather than pursuing the Minneapolis Police Department’s mission, treated Floyd without respect and denied him the dignity owed to all human beings.”

Prosecutors were asking for a 30-year sentence for Chauvin, saying that Chauvin’s actions were appalling and “shocked the nation’s conscience.”

Here’s how the internet reacted to the news of Chauvin’s sentencing.

With good behaviour, Chauvin could be paroled after serving 15 years of his sentence.

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Header Image: ANGELA WEISS / Contributor via Getty Images