Derek Chauvin: Cop who murdered George Floyd jailed for over 22 years
25 June 2021, 20:57 | Updated: 25 June 2021, 21:18
Derek Chauvin, the white ex-police officer who was filmed pinning George Floyd to the ground with his knee, has been jailed for 22 years and six months.
Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter of Mr Floyd on 25 May 2020.
the former Minneapolis cop was also banned from owning firearms for life.
The former police officer stepped to the lectern after impact statements, to say "I want to give my condolences to the Floyd family."
The case drew global attention after Mr Floyd's death prompted protests across the world.
George's seven-year-old daughter said she wishes she could tell her late father that "I miss you and I love you", in a victim impact statement played before the sentence was given.
Gianna said that she believed her father was still with her in spirit and that she wants to know how he got hurt.
"We used to have dinner meals every single night before we went to bed," she said. "My daddy always used to help me brush my teeth."
George Floyd death: A timeline of events as Derek Chauvin is found guilty of murder
Read more: Kneeling on George Floyd's neck 'totally unnecessary', officer tells court
She had a long list of things she would still have liked to do with her father. "I want to play with him, have fun, go on a plane ride," she said.
His trial in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has drawn global audiences and left the city on edge with the possibility of repeats of the demonstrations and anger that erupted after Mr Floyd's death last year.
Evidence at the trial in April included a shocking video, watched by millions online and sparking worldwide protests and riots, of Chauvin pressing his knee against Floyd's neck for nine and a half minutes as the black man said he could not breathe and went motionless.
Read more: George Floyd died from lack of oxygen after being pinned down, expert tells Chauvin trial
Chauvin was denied the possibility of a new trial just hours before his sentencing.
His defence attorney Eric Nelson had claimed Judge Peter Cahill abused the discretion of the court and violated Chauvin's right to due process and a fair trial when he denied a request to move the trial to another county due to pretrial publicity.
