President Joe Biden called the Friday sentencing of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd “appropriate.”
CHAUVIN SENTENCED TO MORE THAN 20 YEARS IN GEORGE FLOYD MURDER
“I don’t know all the circumstances that were considered, but it seems to me, under the guidelines, that seems to be appropriate,” the president stated, according to the White House press pool.
Judge Peter Cahill handed down Chauvin’s 22.5-year sentence on Friday afternoon. Under Minnesota law, Chauvin faced a maximum sentence of 40 years after being found guilty of unintentional second-degree murder, but prosecutors were pushing for a 30-year sentence.
Before the sentencing hearing, Cahill denied Chauvin’s motion for a new trial and said he violated the Minneapolis Police Department’s mission.
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“Mr. Chauvin, rather than pursuing the MPD mission, treated Mr. Floyd without respect and denied him the dignity owed to all human beings and which he certainly would have extended to a friend or neighbor,” Cahill said. “In the Court’s view, 270 months, which amounts to an additional ten years over the presumptive 150-month sentence, is the appropriate sentence.”
Biden’s comment came while speaking with reporters at the start of an Oval Office meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
#CHAUVIN SENTENCING:
Derek Chauvin gets 22.5 years in prison for murdering George Floyd.Here is Judge Peter Cahill’s conclusion (part of a 22 page explanation of his decision) pic.twitter.com/DQ7qG0cxpJ
— Erin Hassanzadeh WCCO (@erinreportsTV) June 25, 2021
Chauvin did not give a full statement at the hearing but offered brief “condolences” to Floyd’s family.
BREAKING: Derek Chauvin addresses the court at his sentencing in the murder of George Floyd.
“I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family,” he says in brief remarks. https://t.co/IuuRKnTv3s pic.twitter.com/Wj2AUZXC9t
— ABC News (@ABC) June 25, 2021
