A federal judge has ruled former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been sentenced to 245 months (just over 20 years) in federal prison. That sentence will be concurrent with his state sentence of 22 and a half years for federal civil rights violations in the killing of George Floyd.
U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson on Thursday set Chauvin’s sentence at a hearing for that began at 2 p.m. Thursday in St. Paul. Magnuson admonished Chauvin for kneeling on the neck of Floyd which led to his death.
“I really don’t know why you did what you did,” said Magnuson. “But to put your knee on another person’s neck until they’re deceased is wrong. And for that you must be substantially punished.”
Magnuson added that he destroyed the lives of the other three officers also involved with the case, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Keung and Thomas Lane.
Chauvin’s plea agreement called for a sentence of 20 to 25 years in prison. Federal prosecutors last month asked for 25 years, on the high end of that range, saying his actions were cold-blooded and needless. The defense’s asked for 20 years, saying Chauvin accepts responsibility and is remorseful for what he did, and has already gotten a long sentence from another court for his murder conviction.
Following Thursday's sentencing, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who led the state's prosecution against Chauvin, said the sentence is appropriate and provides closure.
"Derek Chauvin’s substantial federal sentence of 245 months for depriving George Floyd and Jonathan Pope of their civil rights is another step of accountability on the road to justice," said Ellison. "Today my thoughts are with the victims of these crimes, as they always are."
Pope is one of two others who filed federal lawsuits against Chauvin for using his “signature move” of kneeling on their necks which is what ended up killing George Floyd. Pope was just 14 in September 2017 when he says Chauvin subjected him to gratuitous force while responding to a domestic assault report.
Chauvin spoke at the sentencing and told Floyd's family that he wishes them "all the best in their lives". He did not offer any type of apology.
Attorney Robert Bennett represents John Pope. Bennett said he's not surprised Chauvin showed no remorse.
"Chauvin doesn't get it," Bennett said. "He's not sorry, and the idea that he's able to lead other Minneapolis Police Officers, and train them to do the right thing, is the most incredibly horrible thing I can think of."
Chauvin pleaded guilty in December to violating Floyd’s rights, admitting for the first time that he kept his knee on Floyd’s neck — even as the Black man said he couldn’t breathe and after he became unresponsive — resulting in Floyd’s death. Chauvin, who is white, admitted he willfully deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including unreasonable force by a police officer, during the May 2020 arrest.
Chauvin was also convicted in a separate case on state charges of murder and manslaughter and is already serving a 22 1/2-year state sentence. The plea agreement calls for Chauvin to serve the federal sentence at the same time as the state sentence, and to serve it in federal prison. The deal means he’s expected to serve more time behind bars than he would have faced on the state sentence alone.
Three other former Minneapolis police officers, Thao, J Keung and Lane, were convicted in February of federal civil rights charges in Floyd’s death. Magnuson has not set sentencing dates for them.
Lane pleaded guilty in state court in May to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter and is due to be sentenced on that charge Sept. 21. Thao and Kueng, who turned down plea deals, are due to be tried in state court Oct. 24 accused of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Floyd’s killing sparked protests in Minneapolis and around the world in a reckoning over police brutality and racism.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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