Derek Chauvin’s plea deal has been accepted by the judge overseeing the federal civil rights cases of the former Minneapolis police officers responsible for the death of George Floyd in 2020. As a result, he will now be sentenced 20 to 25 years in federal prison and has waived his right to contest the federal conviction, according to the Associated Press.
In December 2021, Chauvin pleaded guilty to violating Floyd’s civil rights after appealing his murder conviction just months earlier over a long list of “issues.” He admitted that he knowingly kept his knee on Floyd’s neck even after he was unresponsive, which ultimately led to his death and widespread protests across the world.
From the Associated Press:
Under the plea agreement, which Chauvin signed, both sides agreed Chauvin should face a sentence ranging from 20 to 25 years, with prosecutors saying they would seek 25. He could have faced life in prison on the federal count. With credit for good time in the federal system, he would serve from 17 years to 21 years and three months behind bars.
U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson deferred accepting the agreement pending the completion of a presentence investigation. He said in a one-page order Wednesday that the report had been issued, so it was now appropriate to accept the deal. He has not set a sentencing date for Chauvin.
On top of the 20 to 25 years Chauvin will be sentenced by a federal judge, he is already serving his 22 ½ year sentence for his conviction in state court from a year ago. He will serve both of the sentences simultaneously, which means more prison time for the former police officer.
Chauvin is in the process of appealing his state conviction.
Prisoners in Minnesota serve a third of their sentence on parole, which would be 15 years in state prison for Chauvin, according to the Associated Press.
The three other officers who “chose to do nothing” in the death of Floyd, still do not have sentencing dates and the pre-sentence investigations for them are still underway.
Next month in Minnesota state court, the three officers will go on trial on charges of aiding and abetting Chauvin, according to the Associated Press.