Ex-Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd on Friday.
Floyd's death, which came as Chauvin kneeled on his neck for more than nine minutes, touched off a global reckoning about police violence against Black people.
The punishment — which fell short of the 30 years that prosecutors had requested — came after Chauvin broke his more than yearlong silence in court to offer condolences to the Floyd family and say he hopes more information coming out will eventually give them “some peace of mind.”
With good behavior, Chauvin, 45, could be paroled after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about 15 years.
In imposing the punishment, Judge Peter Cahill went beyond the 12.5-year sentence prescribed under state guidelines, citing “your abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty” shown to Floyd.
Chauvin also addressed the court, saying that while he could not give a formal statement due to ongoing legal issues, he said, "I want to give my condolences to the Floyd family."
The three other officers involved in Floyd’s arrest are scheduled for trial in March on state charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter. They will also stand trial with Floyd on the federal civil rights charges. No date has been set for that trial.
Photo courtesy of Instagram.