The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday upheld the second-degree murder conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the death of African-American George Floyd, upholding his 22 1/2-year prison sentence.
Chauvin’s lawyer had asked the appeals court to throw out the former police officer’s convictions for a long list of reasons, including massive pre-trial publicity. He also argued that legal and procedural errors deprived Chauvin of a fair trial. But the three-judge panel sided with prosecutors who said Chauvin received a fair trial and sentence.
Floyd died on May 25, 2020 after Chauvin, who is white, used his knee to press the man’s neck into the ground for nine and a half minutes. A passerby videotaped Floyd yelling the phrase “I can’t breathe” until he passed out. Floyd’s death sparked protests around the world, some of which turned violent and sparked a nationwide debate about police brutality and racism.
“Police officers undoubtedly have a challenging, difficult and sometimes dangerous job. However, no one is above the law,” Appeals Judge Peter Reyes wrote for the panel. “When they commit a crime, they must be held accountable just like the people they legally apprehend. The law only allows police officers to use reasonable force when making a lawful arrest. Chauvin crossed that line here when he used excessive force on Floyd.”
Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison, who assembled the team for the prosecution, said in a statement that he was “grateful to have a system where everyone, no matter how heinous their crimes, is entitled to due process.” and fair treatment.”
“Today’s decision by the Court shows once again that no one is above the law and no one is below it,” Ellison stressed.
