Former United States Attorney Derek Chauvin, convicted of murdering George Floyd in the United States, has pleaded guilty to violating Floyd’s federal civil rights.
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This is the first time Chauvin has pleaded guilty to pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for almost ten minutes in connection with an arrest in May 2020.
Chauvin has previously pleaded not guilty to the federal charges against him. It’s a violation of George Floyd’s civil rights.
But in court in Saint Paul, Minnesota on Wednesday, Chauvin chose to plead guilty instead. Thus, he avoids a new comprehensive legal process where he could receive life imprisonment.
Instead, it is expected that he will now receive a sentence of between 20 and 25 years in prison, which can be served in parallel with the murder sentence he received this summer.
In the state-level trial, which dealt with the actual murder of George Floyd, Chauvin was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison.
Chauvin pleaded not guilty in that case, and the verdict has been appealed. But regardless of whether he wins the appeal, he will have to spend a long time in prison since he has now pleaded guilty to the federal charges.
Floyd’s arrest was filmed and led to worldwide protests against racism and police violence.
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