Former Minneapolis Police Department Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of the following crimes connected to the death of George Floyd: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Just a few months after his conviction, Chauvin walked back into court to hear impact statements from Floyd's relatives and receive his sentence from Judge Peter Cahill. Facing a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison for his various crimes, Cahill opted to sentence Chauvin to 22.5 years in prison. He must register as a predatory offender and he is prohibited from owning a firearm upon release. Given the gravity of the case, several notable public figures took to social media to share their reactions to the sentence handed down by Cahill.
Chauvin will appear in court multiple times over the next few months. Just last month, the former police officer was met with federal charges for violating Floyd's civil rights during the encounter that resulted in his death. In addition, Chauvin was also charged in connection to an incident in which he allegedly kneeled on the neck of a teenage boy and hitting him with a flashlight during an arrest. Unlike the encounter with Floyd, the teenage boy did not die. However, he did sustain several injuries. Chauvin is also charged with violating his civil rights. Not to mention, his former colleagues, Thomas Lane, J Alexander Keung and Tou Thao, will be tried for the handling of the encounter that resulted in Floyd's death.
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