Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced Friday to 22 and a half years in prison in the death of George Floyd.
45-year-old Chauvin was convicted in April on several charges including third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Floyd’s daughter and Chauvin’s mother read victim impact statements in court while Chauvin himself addressed the court briefly offering condolences to the Floyd family but said ongoing litigation prevented him from saying more.
46-year-old Floyd died last May after Chauvin and three other police officers knelt on his neck and back for more than 9 minutes.
George Floyd repeatedly said “I can’t breathe” which became a rallying cry for global protests around the world against police brutality.
In a statement, Floyd’s sister, Bridgett said Chauvin’s sentence “shows that matters of police brutality are finally being taken seriously”.
Floyd family lawyer Ben Crump tweeted “this historic sentence brings the Floyd family and our nation one step closer to healing by delivering closure and accountability.”
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said he hopes Derek Chauvin uses his long sentence to reflect on the choices he made on May 25th, 2020.
22.5 YEARS! This historic sentence brings the Floyd family and our nation one step closer to healing by delivering closure and accountability.
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) June 25, 2021
