Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in the death of George Floyd, will be sentenced Friday afternoon. Prosecutors are requesting Judge Peter Cahill sentence the 45-year-old Chauvin to 30 years in prison, while his defense attorney is calling for little time behind bars or even probation.
In April, Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Chauvin has been held at the state’s only maximum-security prison, the Minnesota Correctional Facility—Oak Park Heights.
Graphic videos captured Chauvin, who is White, kneeling on the neck of Floyd, who is Black, for more than nine minutes during a May 2020 arrest. Footage of the fatal encounter sparked national outrage and days of protests.
Three other former officers involved in Floyd’s fatal arrest also face state and federal charges.
