Derek Chauvin, a police officer convicted of brutally murdering black George Floyd, has been sentenced by a US court to 22 years in prison. The court announced the verdict on Friday.
Derek’s mother was present in court when the sentence was announced. She broke down in tears. Derek’s lawyer complained that the court was not influenced by the verdict. The judge said, the verdict was not influenced by any mass movement.
Justice Peter Cahill said, the sentence was handed down only after examining the evidence and analyzing the details.
Derek Chauvin, 45, has been sentenced to 22 years and six months in prison.
Announcing the verdict, Judge Peter Cahill said, the sentence was based on “abuse of power from a place of trust and authority” and “brutality” against Floyd.
Before the sentencing, Chauvin expressed “sympathy” for Floyd’s family. However, he did not apologize for the killing.
George Floyd, an African-American, died in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25, 2020. The 48-year-old black man died of suffocation after the main accused, white police officer Derek Chauvin, kept Floyd on his neck for more than nine minutes.
When the video of the murder went viral in broad daylight, the United States erupted in anti-apartheid movement. The movement against racism and police brutality titled ‘Black Lives Matter’ spread all over the world.
Complaints and trials against police officers in connection with the deaths of defendants in custody in the United States are quite rare. As a result, many see this historic trial of Floyd’s murder as the beginning of a change in the country’s legal system.
