Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer, who killed George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for nearly 10 minutes, has been found GUILTY on all charges by a jury of his peers.
Derek was facing charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter for the May 25, 2020, death of 46-year-old George Floyd.
See an explanation of the charges below.
Second-Degree Unintentional Murder
It’s also called felony murder. To prove this count, prosecutors had to show that Chauvin killed Floyd while committing or trying to commit a felony — in this case, third-degree assault. They didn’t have to prove Chauvin intended to kill Floyd, only that he intended to apply unlawful force that caused bodily harm.
The maximum sentence for this charge is 40 years.
Third-Degree Murder
For this count, jurors must find Chauvin caused Floyd’s death through an action that was “eminently dangerous” and carried out with a reckless disregard for and conscious indifference to the loss of life.
The maximum sentence for this charge is 25 years.
Second-Degree Manslaughter
Prosecutors had to show that Chauvin caused Floyd’s death through culpable negligence that created an unreasonable risk, and that he consciously took the chance of causing severe injury or death.
The maximum sentence for this charge is 10 years.
However, under Minnesota sentencing guidelines, Derek Chauvin may only face 12 1/2 years in prison for the murder charges and only four years for the manslaughter charge because he has no criminal history.
The Jury
The jury, comprised of five men and seven women, began deliberating late Monday (April 19) afternoon and returned a verdict by 3:30 p.m on Tuesday (April 20).
According to information released by the court, of the 12 jurors, six were White, four were Black and two were multiracial.
Chauvin will be sentenced in eight weeks.
His bail is revoked and he will be remanded into custody until his sentencing.
What are your thoughts on this verdict?
Source: WMUR
