Washington, June 26, (dpa/GNA) – Ex-police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison on Friday for the murder of African-American George Floyd, whose death had triggered demonstrations against racism and police violence in the United States.
Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder by a jury at the end of April after Floyd’s violent death on May 25, 2020, during a police operation in Minneapolis.
“We need to recognize the pain of the Floyd family,” judge Peter Cahill said before pronouncing his sentence, adding that “I am not basing my sentence on public opinion.”
Prosecutors had called for a sentence of 30 years, while the defence had asked for a suspended sentence.
A lawyer for Floyd’s family welcomed the sentencing decision.
“This historic sentence brings the Floyd family and our nation one step closer to healing by delivering closure and accountability,” Ben Crump said in a statement.
“For once, a police officer who wrongly took the life of a black man was held to account,” he said.
“Day after day, year after year, police kill Black people without consequence. But today, with Chauvin’s sentence, we take a significant step forward – something that was unimaginable a very short time ago.”
“Those who raised their voices to demand justice for George Floyd need to know their activism made a difference,” he said.
US President Joe Biden called the sentence “appropriate” in comments to reporters.
The court in Minneapolis on Friday had heard statements from both Floyd and Chauvin’s family in the lead-up to the sentencing.
“What were you thinking, what was going through your head, when you had your knee on my brother’s neck?” said Floyd’s brother Terrence.
Brandon Williams, a nephew of George Floyd, said his family was “forever broken.”
Derek Chauvin’s mother Carolyn Pawlenty had argued against a long sentence, saying it would “not serve Derek well.”
“My son is a good man,” she said. Addressing him directly, she said: “Remember you were my favourite son.”
Videos of the police operation taken by bystanders documented how officers pushed the unarmed Floyd to the ground.
Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for a good nine minutes while he begged for breath. Floyd lost consciousness and died.
The officers had arrested him on suspicion of paying for a packet of cigarettes with a fake 20-dollar note.
The white ex-cop was also found guilty of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Despite the three-part guilty verdict, Chauvin’s sentence was imposed only for the most serious charge under current law in the state of Minnesota.
The 199 days Chauvin had already served in jail would be credited as part of his sentence, the judge said.
GNA