Chauvin pleads guilty to federal charge in George Floyd’s death

ST PAUL, Minneapolis (AP):

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a federal charge of violating George Floyd’s civil rights, admitting for the first time that he kept his knee on Floyd’s neck – even after he became unresponsive – resulting in the black man’s death.

Chauvin, who is white, was convicted this spring of state murder and manslaughter charges in Floyd’s May 25, 2020, death, and was sentenced to 22 1/2 years.

In his federal plea Wednesday, Chauvin admitted he wilfully deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including excessive force by a police officer, by kneeling on Floyd’s neck, even though he was handcuffed and not resisting. A second federal count in Floyd’s death was dismissed, but Chauvin pleaded guilty to another count in an unrelated 2017 case.

‘GUILTY, YOUR HONOUR’

Chauvin appeared in person for the change of plea hearing in an orange, short-sleeved prison shirt and was led into and out of the court in handcuffs. He said “Guilty, Your Honour” to confirm his pleas, and acknowledged that he committed the acts alleged.

Chauvin could have faced life in prison on the federal count, one possible incentive for him to avoid trial. Under the plea agreement, both sides agreed Chauvin should face a sentence ranging from 20 to 25 years, with prosecutors saying they would seek 25. The final sentence will be up to US District Judge Paul Magnuson, but Chauvin is likely to face more time behind bars than he would on the state charges alone.

Through a combination of good behaviour and parole, Chauvin’s state sentence is likely to amount to 15 years behind bars. A federal sentence would run at the same time, and good behaviour also can reduce time – but inmates still typically serve about 85 per cent of their sentences.

That means if Chauvin gets the 25 years prosecutors want, he would likely spend 21 years and three months in prison – or a little more than six years beyond his state sentence.