It’s a moment that many have been anxiously awaiting for a year, and now that Derek Chauvin has been sentenced, social media users are debating his case once again. On Friday (June 25), Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd last year, but reports state that the former police officer is expected to serve approximately 15 years.
Following the sentencing, attorney Ben Crump, co-counsel Antonio Romanucci and Chris Stewart, along with the Floyd family released a statement. “This historic sentence brings the Floyd family and our nation one step closer to healing by delivering closure and accountability,” they said.
The statement continues:
For once, a police officer who wrongly took the life of a Black man was held to account. While this shouldn’t be exceptional, tragically it is. Day after day, year after year, police kill Black people without consequence. But today, with Chauvin’s sentence, we take a significant step forward – something that was unimaginable a very short time ago. Now, we look for Chauvin to also be convicted on the federal charges pending against him and for the three other officers to face consequences for their actions. That would represent important additional steps toward justice.
“At the same time, it’s important to acknowledge how far we’ve come. Those who raised their voices to demand justice for George Floyd need to know that their activism made a difference. Not only were Chauvin and the City of Minneapolis held accountable, but cities and states across the country have passed meaningful reforms, including restrictions on chokeholds and better training and protocols. We need this sentence to usher in a new era of accountability that transforms how Black people are treated by police. To achieve that – real, lasting change in police departments from coast to coast – we need the U.S. Senate to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act without further delay.”
Opinions and commentary regarding the length of Chauvin’s sentence have been a mixed bag, as some have applauded accountability in this case while others are angered that he wasn’t given a longer prison time. Of course, Chauvin’s supporters don’t believe that he should have to serve any time at all.
Check out a few responses below.
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