Derek Chauvin Found Guilty: Sentencings and Statements Follow

After a long waiting period, Derek Chauvin has been found guilty for the murder of George Floyd.

The official sentencing will take place on June 16, but as it stands now, he will be tried as the guilty party for the George Floyd murder. The former police officer has been charged with second degree murder, third degree murder and second degree manslaughter.

In the initial proceedings of the court case, the Minneapolis Police Department attempted to create and maintain an inaccurate account of the murder in order to sway the case in their favor. This may have become the official history if it hadn’t been for the video evidence taken by Darnella Frazier. This video was given to the chief of police and the general public the night of the murder and greatly influenced the court proceedings.

President Biden also spoke on the case, praising the guilty verdict. He stated, “It was a murder in full light of day, and it ripped the blinders off for the whole world to see.”

If we look back on the events following the murder, in a matter of hours a movement had been sparked in response to the event. Following the video and the spread of news by word-of-mouth, the city was mobilized, calling for an end to police brutality against African Americans. The events that followed grew from a spark to a flame as the Black Lives Matter movement erupted with activity.

Chauvin is being held in prison until the sentencing happens. The charges against Chauvin collectively amount to 75 years in prison. However, the most serious charge, second-degree murder, carries a maximum of 40 years behind bars, which is what the judge will be focusing on.

The state has already requested for a harsher sentence than the one listed before.

Chauvin was not the only officer on the scene and not the only guilty party. The three other officers who aided and abetted the murder, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, have been charged with aiding and abetting second degree murder and second degree manslaughter. They have pleaded not guilty and their trial will be held this summer.

Alexander Nesmith is a junior

communication major from

Calhoun, Ga.