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The federal judge presiding over the cases of the four former Minneapolis police officers implicated in the killing of George Floyd has accepted Derek Chauvin’s plea deal and will sentence him to 20 to 25 years in prison.
According to CNN, that sentencing range was laid out in the plea agreement filed months ago, which also mentioned Chauvin would be expected to serve between 17 and a little over 21 years, “assuming all good-time credit.”
George Floyd changed America.
While the maximum sentence is life in prison, police officers are rarely charged to the fullest extent of the law like those they often arrest.
They are often protected by qualified immunity that shields a government official from lawsuits alleging that the official violated a plaintiff‘s rights, only allowing suits where officials violated a “clearly established” statutory or constitutional right.
Chauvin’s conviction last year was seen as a milestone after a year of protest and organizing like our nation had never witnessed before. Though 20-25 years is Chauvin’s sentence, the larger problem of ubiquitous police brutality remains.
Derek Chauvin could be out in 15 years.
Based on the plea agreement filed, the federal sentence would be served concurrently with the 22.5-year sentence tied to his murder conviction at the state level.
US District Court Judge Paul Magnuson didn’t set a date for the sentencing, according to CNN.
Chauvin was sentenced in state court last June after the former Minneapolis police officer was convicted of murder in Floyd’s death.
Under Minnesota law, Chauvin would have to serve two-thirds of that state sentence or 15 years — and he would be eligible for supervised release for the remaining seven and a half years.
Chauvin has requested the Minnesota Court of Appeals to overturn his conviction, however, they have not to date.
George Floyd was 46-years-old.