Derek Chauvin Sentencing a ‘Punch in the Gut’
Minnesota AG asks murdering ex-cop to spend time in prison considering the life of the man he snuffed out
Former Minneapolis, Minn., police officer Derek Chauvin's 22.5-year sentence for the murder last year of George Floyd on a crowded Minneapolis street corner has left many Black commentators and community leaders with a sense of disappointment.
The sentence meted out by Judge Peter Cahill was above both the minimum set forth in sentencing guidelines, and harsher than the probation that the defense sought. However, it was also significantly less than 30-year maximum Chauvin could have been sentenced with.
Chauvin's murder of Floyd, a Black man patronizing a Minneapolis convenience store, jump-started a national and international reckoning on racial justice and police reform.
“Very disappointing. Very disappointing. Fifteen years. I know people doing 15 years for nothing. I mean, for victimless crimes of drug possession. Very disappointing. The level of — any one of those aggravators, what this man did, it should’ve been the maximum of the maximum,” said CNN commentator Van Jones. “This is disappointing. I don’t think it’s going to cause outrage. But it’s a punch in the gut. This guy’s life was worth more than 15 years — it was. And what that officer did is worth more than 15 years.
“And law enforcement across the country should look at something like this and say, look, you can’t do this type of stuff, you’re never going to come back home. It’s disappointing,” Jones added.
Jennifer Rodgers, a white CNN legal analyst, corrected Jones somewhat.
“Yeah. The sentence isn’t 15 years. The sentence is 22 1/2 years. So the two-thirds is good behavior. That’s a legal matter. The judge legally can’t consider that when imposing sentence. He’s got to impose a sentence that he feels is appropriate, and that sentence was 22 1/2 years. That said, I do think also that it was light, like you all do,” she said.
In a separate TV appearance, the Rev Al Sharpton announced his displeasure.
“Well, I think that clearly the judge did not give all that the family and those of here with the family wanted but gave a lot more than what the defense asked for,” he said. “Twenty-two and a half years is certainly above the probation the defense asked for and sends an incomplete message but a message of accountability.”
Meanwhile, Minnesota state Attorney General Keith Ellison had some advice for Chauvin as he spends his years in prison.
“My hope for Derek Chauvin is that he uses his long sentence to reflect on the choices that he made on May 25, 2020. My hope is that he will find it within himself to acknowledge the impact of his choices on George Floyd, his family, his fellow police officers, and the world,” Ellison said. “My hope is that he takes the time to learn something about the man whose life he took and about the movement that rose up to call for justice in the wake of George Floyd’s torture and death.”