Former white American police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States for the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, has been sentenced Imprisonment of 22 years and 6 months.
This case of national concern last year detonated “Black Lives Matter” (Black Lives Matter) anti-racism demonstrations around the world.
The judge told Xiao Wan in court that this judgment was based on “you abused your position of trust and authority, as well as your extremely cruel behavior towards Mr. Freud.”
Last May, 46-year-old African-American man George Floyd died when he was arrested on suspicion of using counterfeit banknotes. Xiao Wan, a police officer at the time, pressed his knees against Freud’s neck for more than 9 minutes. During the process, Freud once said: “I can’t breathe.” He subsequently died.
In April this year, former US police officer Xiao Wan was convicted of three counts of murder and manslaughter. The murder triggered a global protest against racism and police brutality.
During the trial, Xiao Wan’s lawyer described the murder as a “mistake made out of good intentions.”
The verdict includes that Xiao Wan will be registered as a predator and will be banned from owning guns for life. He and three other former police officers were charged separately for violating Freud’s civil rights.
The Freud family and their supporters welcomed the verdict.
Family lawyer representative Ben Crump tweeted: “This historic decision brings the Freud family and our country closer to accountability at the end of this case. step.”
Floyd’s sister Bridgett Floyd said the verdict “shows that the issue of police violence is finally being taken seriously”, but there is still “a long way to go.”
US President Biden said the verdict “seems reasonable”, but he admitted that he did not know all the details of the verdict.
What was said at the sentencing hearing?
At the sentencing hearing, Floyd’s younger brother Terrence Floyd asked the court to seek a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison for the suspect.
“Why? What are you thinking? When you put your knees on my brother’s neck, what was in your head?” He said in the court.
Freud’s seven-year-old daughter, Gianna, appears in a video, saying that she misses her father and loves him.
“I’ve been looking for Dad,” she said. “My dad always brushes my teeth.”
The judge said that the case brought pain to the entire community and the country, but most importantly, it brought pain to Freud’s family.
Judge Peter Cahill said: “This judgment is not based on emotion or sympathy. But at the same time, I want to admit that all families, especially the Freud family, have felt deep and great pain. “
Xiao Wan expressed condolences to the Freud family in court, saying that “there will be some other news in the future” and he hoped that “things would make the family feel calm.”
However, he did not apologize.
In court, Xiao Wan’s mother called her son a “good person.” “I have always believed in your innocence, and I will never shake this,” said Carolyn Pawlenty, Carolyn Pawlenty, Xiao Wan’s mother.
Minnesota’s Attorney General Keith Ellison said Chau Wan was “one of the longest prison sentences ever sentenced to a police officer” for the use of lethal force.
George Floyd case
In May 2020, Freud bought a pack of cigarettes in a convenience store. A clerk believed that he had used counterfeit banknotes and called the police after Freud refused to return the cigarettes.
When the police arrived, they ordered Freud to get out of the car and handcuffed him. When the police tried to bring the screaming Freud into the police car, a scuffle occurred. They threw Freud to the ground and pressed him to the ground.
Xiao Wan pressed his knee behind Freud’s neck for more than nine minutes.
While being tied up, Freud called out more than 20 times that he could not breathe, called his mother, and begged the police, “Please, please, please”.
When the ambulance arrived, Freud was motionless. One hour later, he was pronounced dead.
His death was recorded by the 18-year-old Darnella Frazier (Darnella Frazier) on the scene with a mobile phone. When she saw Freud was arrested, she was out for a walk with her cousin.
She said that recording the incident on her mobile phone was because “I saw a man so scared, begging for his life to continue.” Earlier this month, Freud won the Pulitzer Special Prize, the most prestigious award in the American press.