Prosecutors ask for 25-year federal sentence for Derek Chauvin
Derek Chauvin is shown kneeling on George Floyd's neck in bystander video captured by Darnella Frazier. (Courtesy of Darnella Frazier)
Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to sentence former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin to 25 years in prison.
In a court filing on Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recommended a 300-month sentence to be followed by five years of supervised release for Chauvin, saying it’s “reasonable and appropriate” given his offenses.
Prosecutors noted not only Chauvin’s actions in murdering George Floyd but also his actions toward a 14-year-old in 2017, which paralleled his actions toward Floyd.
The attorney’s office also noted Chauvin’s actions weren’t split-second decisions but rather “a series of deliberate choices — to disregard his training, to ignore the victims’ pleas, and to discount the warnings of bystanders.”
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Prosecutors also cited the public’s loss of trust in law enforcement and the justice system because of Chauvin’s actions.
Chauvin pleaded guilty to depriving Floyd of his civil rights in December as part of a plea agreement, which called for a sentence between 20 and 25 years. Without the plea, he could’ve faced life in prison.
He’s currently serving his 22½-year sentence in state prison after he was convicted last year of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death.
A sentencing date hasn’t yet been set.