Politics
How long is Derek Chauvin going to be in prison?
CONVICTED former police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of three counts of murder in the George Floyd trial.
The Minneapolis officer had been sitting in trial for three weeks and had pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.
Former police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of three counts of murder[/caption]
How long is Derek Chauvin going to be in prison?
Derek Chauvin, 45, was found guilty of second degree murder, third degree murder, and manslaughter.
He faces nearly 40 years in jail from the charges but will likely serve less time.
The maximum sentences for the chargers are: second degree murder 40 years, third degree murder is 25 years, and second degree manslaughter is 10 years.
However, for someone who has never been convicted of a crime before like Chauvin, the recommendation for sentencing in Minnesota is only 12.5 years for each murder charge, as well as four years for manslaughter.
Chauvin faces nearly 40 years in jail from the charges but will likely serve less time[/caption]
Even though Chauvin is convicted of more than one count, Minnesota law states that he will only serve a sentence with the most severe charge.
Judge Cahill will decide in eight weeks how long Chauvin will be in prison for.
What factors determine Derek Chauvin’s sentencing?
Prosecutors are seeking longer than 12.5 years for Chauvin due to “aggravated factors” involving Floyd’s death.
The “aggravated factors” the prosecution are referring to are:
- The victim was treated with particular cruelty for which the individual offender should be held responsible.
- The offense was committed in the presence of a child.
- The offender committed the crime as part of a group of three or more offenders who all actively participated in the crime.
Ultimately, it will be Judge Cahill’s responsibility to determine if those factors exist and if the time of the sentencing should be increased.
Chauvin was out on bond while he was awaiting trial but was jailed immediately after the judge deliberated the charges[/caption]
What did people say about Derek Chauvin’s conviction?
A crowd gathered outside the courthouse erupted into cheers and applause as the judge announced Chauvin’s fate.
Chants of “justice” and “black lives matter” were heard thundering out.
At the intersection where Floyd was pinned down, a crowd chanted, “One down, three to go!” — a reference to the three other fired Minneapolis police officers facing trial in August on charges of aiding and abetting murder in Floyd’s death.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has been working with the Floyd family, released a statement on Tuesday evening, declaring: “justice has arrived.”
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has been working with the Floyd family, released a statement on Tuesday evening, declaring: ‘justice has arrived.’[/caption]
“GUILTY! Painfully earned justice has finally arrived for George Floyd’s family,” Crump wrote.
“This verdict is a turning point in history and sends a clear message on the need for accountability of law enforcement. Justice for Black America is justice for all of America!”
MORE ON GEORGE FLOYD
Prosecuting attorney Jerry Blackwell said Tuesday’s verdict sends out the message that George Floyd’s “life mattered.”
“Now, no verdict can bring George Perry Floyd back to us, but this verdict does give a message to his family that he was somebody, that his life mattered, that all of our lives matter. And that’s important,” he said.
“I also hope that this verdict, for all of the rest of the collective, all of us, will help us further along the road toward a better humanity.”
