A federal judge on Thursday sentenced Derek Chauvin to 21 years in prison for violating George Floyd’s civil rights, telling the former Minneapolis police officer that what he did was “just wrong” and “offensive.” U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson strongly criticized Chauvin for his actions on May 25, 2020, even though he chose the low end of the sentencing range requested in a plea agreement. Chauvin, who is white, pinned Floyd to the sidewalk outside a Minneapolis corner store for more than nine minutes as the black man pleaded, “I can’t breathe,” and didn’t respond. Floyd’s killing sparked protests around the world in a reckoning with police brutality and racism. “I really don’t know why you did what you did,” Magnuson said. “Putting your knee on a person’s throat until they expire is just wrong. Your behavior is wrong and offensive.” Magnuson, who earlier this year presided over the federal trial and convictions of three other officers at the scene, blamed only Chauvin for what happened. Chauvin was by far the most senior officer present as police tried to arrest Floyd while responding to a 911 call accusing him of using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes. And Chauvin dismissed questions from one of the other officers about whether Floyd should turn around. “You absolutely destroyed the lives of three young officers by taking command of the scene,” Magnuson said. Chauvin’s plea deal called for a 20- to 25-year sentence to be served concurrently with a 22 1/2-year prison sentence for his murder and manslaughter convictions. Because of differences in parole eligibility in the state and federal systems, it means Chauvin will serve slightly more time behind bars than he would have with the state sentence alone. He would be eligible for parole after serving 15 years in the state sentence, but must serve nearly 18 years of his federal term before he can be released. He will also spend his time in the federal system, where he can be safer and can be held under fewer restrictions than in the state system. Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, had asked for 20 years, arguing that Chauvin was remorseful and would make that clear in court. But Chauvin, in brief remarks, made no immediate apology or expression of remorse to Floyd’s family. Instead, she told the family she wishes Floyd’s children “the best in their lives.” Chauvin was wearing an orange prison uniform and a protective mask, according to media reports from the courtroom. He waved family and friends into the gallery as he entered. Media reports made no mention of Chauvin’s visible reaction to any part of the hearing. Prosecutor LeeAnn Bell asked Magnuson to give Chauvin the full 25 years possible under the plea deal, underscoring the “special responsibility” he had as a police officer to care for people in custody. “He wasn’t a rookie,” Bell said. “He knew what his training was … He admitted before this court that his behavior was wrong and he did it anyway.” Floyd’s brother Filonise also asked for the maximum possible sentence, telling Magnuson that the Floyd family “had been sentenced to life in prison.” He said afterward that he was upset that Chauvin didn’t get more time behind bars. Chauvin’s mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, told Magnuson that her son did not go to work with the intention of killing anyone. “A lot of things have been written about him that are completely wrong, like he’s racist, which he’s not, that he has no heart,” he said. “I believe it is God’s will that we all forgive.” Chauvin’s guilty plea included an admission that he willfully deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including unreasonable force by a police officer. It also included one count of violating the rights of a black 14-year-old he banned in an unrelated case in 2017. John Pope, now 18, told Magnuson that Chauvin “didn’t care about the outcome” of that restriction. “By the grace of God I lived to see another day,” Pope said. “It will continue to be a part of me for the rest of my life.” Magnuson has not set sentencing dates for the three other officers on the scene — Tou Thao, J. Alexander Keung and Thomas Lane — who were convicted in February on federal civil rights charges. Lane is also scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 21 after pleading guilty in state court to aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Thao and Kueng rejected plea deals and are scheduled to go on trial on conspiracy charges on Oct. 24.
