
Prosecution and defense teams in Derek Chauvin's sentencing argue whether aggravating factors apply
CNN
Prosecutors for the state of Minnesota and an attorney for Derek Chauvin argued in separate filings Friday whether additional factors should affect Chauvin's sentence.
The former Minneapolis police officer was convicted on April 20 of murder and manslaughter in the killing of George Floyd, and sentencing will be determined in June. Prosecutors said five aggravating factors warrant an increased sentence for Chauvin: Floyd was a particularly vulnerable victim, Floyd was treated with particular cruelty, Chauvin abused his position of authority, Chauvin committed the crime in the presence of multiple children, and Chauvin "committed the crime as part of a group of three or more persons who all actively participated in the crime," according to the state's memo.
The alleged drug traffickers killed by the US military in a strike on September 2 were heading to link up with another, larger vessel that was bound for Suriname — a small South American country east of Venezuela – the admiral who oversaw the operation told lawmakers on Thursday according to two sources with direct knowledge of his remarks.

The two men killed as they floated holding onto their capsized boat in a secondary strike against a suspected drug vessel in early September did not appear to have radio or other communications devices, the top military official overseeing the strike told lawmakers on Thursday, according to two sources with direct knowledge of his congressional briefings.











