Former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all three counts—unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter—in the death of George Floyd. The verdict, delivered by the jury after about a day of deliberations, was read by Judge Peter Cahill at the Hennepin County Government Center.
Chauvin, who showed little reaction, had his bail revoked and was immediately taken into custody. Sentencing is scheduled to take place in approximately eight weeks.
The jury, composed of six White people, four Black people, and two multiracial people, heard 13 days of emotional testimony. Prosecutor Steve Schleicher urged the jury to “Believe your eyes,” focusing on the video showing Chauvin’s knee pressed into Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes, arguing, “This wasn’t policing, this was murder.”
Defense attorney Eric Nelson maintained that the state failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, arguing that a combination of Floyd’s underlying heart disease and drug use was the fatal combination, not positional asphyxia.
In Minnesota, sentencing guidelines for a first-time offender suggest a range of 10.5 to 15 years for the murder charges, with a recommended median of 12.5 years. Prosecutors have introduced aggravating factors (such as committing the crime in front of a child and abusing police authority) that could lead to a longer sentence. The other three officers involved in the arrest are currently charged with aiding and abetting and are expected to be tried jointly in August.
