Derek Chauvin Sentenced To 22.5 Years For George Floyd's Murder

The sentence was not the 30 years that prosecutors asked for, but it exceeds the 12 and a half years recommended under state guidelines.

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose dying breaths under Chauvin’s knee led to a nationwide outcry and protests against racial injustice. The sentence fell short of the 30 years that prosecutors had requested,  but it still exceeded the 12 and a half years prescribed under state guidelines. Judge Peter Cahill cited Chauvin's “abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty” of Floyd's killing as reasons for the longer sentence. Just before it was handed down, 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 give them "some peace of mind." He did not elaborate. His mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, also appeared in court to plead for mercy for her son, saying his reputation has been unfairly reduced to that of “an aggressive, heartless and uncaring person” and a racist.