By Sravan Gannavarapu
Boston University News Service
Derek Chauvin, the officer charged with the murder of Minneapolis resident George Floyd, has been found guilty on all counts by a Minnesota jury, following just over 10 hours of deliberations.
Chauvin had been charged with counts of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Following the verdict, the former police officer also had his bail revoked at the request of the prosecution. He will be held in custody while he awaits sentencing in eight weeks.
Chauvin could face up to 40 years in prison for second degree unintentional murder, up to 25 years for third degree murder and up to 12.5 years for second degree manslaughter, according to the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission.
The verdict follows nearly a year of nationwide protests and legal wrangling after Chauvin was recorded kneeling on the neck of Floyd for over nine minutes in June, 2020, prompting outrage across the country after the video’s release.
Chauvin, along with three other officers on the scene, were fired from their positions by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. He pleaded not guilty after being arrested in May 2020.
During the trial’s closing arguments, defense attorney Eric Nelson said that Chauvin was following police orders when the incident happened. Nelson maintained that Floyd did not die by Chauvin’s knee in his neck, but rather from a heart attack and drugs in his system.
Prosecutor Steve Schleicher said Chauvin “betrayed his badge” with the actions he took, referring to his actions in June of last year as “not policing.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated accordingly.
