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On Thursday, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 21-years for allegedly violating the civil rights of George Floyd and an unnamed teenager.
As per Fox News, the 46-year-old's sentence will run concurrently with the 22.5 years he received for second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter.
Derek Chauvin came into the spotlight after the May 25, 2020, arrest of George Floyd, which was recorded by bystanders. In the footage, the then 44-year-old former officer can be seen kneeling on Floyd's neck, a 46-year-old African-American man who was accused by a storeowner of passing a counterfeit bill.
Despite the pleas of nearby civilians, Chauvin continued to maintain his position on George Floyd's neck, who eventually passed out and died. Prosecutors claimed that it was the pressure Chauvin put on Floyd's neck that cut off the oxygen, leading to his death.
How George Floyd's death affected Derek Chauvin
The footage of George Floyd's death caused major uproar. He was quickly martyred, and his death led to Black Lives Matter protests across the country, with activists saying that the act of violence was symptomatic of institutional racism and police brutality in the country.
U.S District Judge Paul Magnuson agreed with prosecutors and implicated Derek Chauvin. The footage showed that he had put weight on Floyd's neck for approximately nine minutes.
During Thursday's sentencing, he said:
"I really don't know why you did what you did, but to put your knee on another person's neck until they expire is simply wrong, and for that conduct you must be substantially punished."
Magnuson also blamed Chauvin for misguiding three other officers who were present at the scene. The officers, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane, were also found guilty of violating Floyd's rights.
Regarding Chauvin's influence over the three officers, Magnuson said:
“You absolutely destroyed the lives of three young officers by taking command of the scene."
On Thursday, Chauvin also pleaded guilty to a 2017 case in which he had allegedly violated the civil rights of a 14-year-old through the use of unreasonable force.
George Floyd's brother responds to the sentencing
In response to the sentencing, George Floyd's brother, Philonese, said that no punishment was enough for Chauvin.
Philonese Floyd said:
"My brother was murdered in broad daylight with a knee to his neck for nine minutes and I have been given a life sentence. We will never get George back."
Time reported that Chavuin did not apologize to Floyd's family. In a brief statement, he simply said that he hoped the victims' children had a good future.
He said:
"(I wish them) all the best in their life (I hope they have) excellent guidance in becoming good adults."
According to Time, the attorney defending Derek Chauvin, Eric Nelson, had asked for 20 years, claiming that Chauvin was remorseful for his actions.
