Former US police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd
Today, Friday, former American police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison, for the killing of African-American George Floyd in the American city of Minneapolis.
"We must acknowledge the pain that afflicts Floyd's family," Judge Peter Cahill said before delivering his verdict. "I did not base my judgment on public opinion," he said.
The violent killing of Floyd on May 25, 2020, during a police operation in Minneapolis, sparked protests against racism and police violence in the United States.
Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder by a jury at the end of April.
The defense demanded a suspended sentence against the former policeman, while the prosecution demanded a thirty-year prison sentence.
Today, Friday, the Minneapolis court heard statements from the families of Floyd and Chauvin in the period before the verdict was pronounced.
Video clips document how the police threw the unarmed man to the ground, then Chauvin pressed his knee to Floyd's neck for nine minutes, and the latter was begging him to catch his breath, before he lost consciousness and took his last breath.
The police had arrested Floyd on suspicion of buying a fake twenty-dollar package of cigarettes.
It was also found that the former white policeman was convicted of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Despite the three-part indictment, Chauvin was sentenced only on the most serious charge under current Minnesota law.
The judge said that Chauvin's already 199-day detention period would be part of his prison term.
