Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty in the killing of George Floyd.
After less than 12 hours of deliberations, the jury returned its verdict against Chauvin, convicting him on all three counts: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Presiding Judge Peter Cahill said the charges carry maximum sentences of 40 years, 25 years and 10 years in prison, respectively and that sentencing will be in eight weeks.
Under Minnesota law, Chauvin can appeal his conviction after the court enters the judgment and Chauvin receives his sentence. Bail however was revoked and Chauvin was handcuffed in court and remanded into custody of the Hennepin County Sheriff.
For each charge, the state is seeking a sentence that goes above the guideline range, citing aggravating factors, including that Floyd was particularly vulnerable and that his death was witnessed by multiple children.
None of the charges requires prosecutors to prove Chauvin intended to kill Floyd, only that Chauvin’s actions caused Floyd’s death.
Guilty verdicts must be unanimous, which means the defense needed to raise reasonable doubt in the mind of just one of the 12 who are deliberating the case.
Discover more from LN247
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
