A Hennepin Court in the state of Minnesota has sentenced Former police officer, Derek Chauvin, to 22 and half years in prison (270 months) for the murder of George Floyd.
Delivering his judgment on Friday, the presiding Judge, Peter Cahill, said his ruling was not hinged on emotion or compunction, adding that public sentiment did not also play a role in Derek’s conviction.
“The sentence is not based on emotion or sympathy, but i want to acknowledge the pain both families are feeling, especially George Floyd’s.”
“I am not basing my sentencing on any public opinion, the job of the trial court is to apply the law,” the said.
This is coming after Minnesota Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank asked for a sentence of 360 months (30 years) for Chauvin.
Recall that Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old man died on May 25, 2020, in the hands of the White police officer in Minneapolis, Derek Chauvin.
Chauvin who was seen in the viral video with his knee on Floyd’s neck, was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter which some blacks protesters believe were not commensurate to the gravity of the crime.
However, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison later announced that the charges against Chauvin had been upgraded to second-degree murder and that new charges have been filed against the other three officers involved.
