Prosecutor seeks 30 years sentence for George Floyd killer

But lawyers for former policeman Derek Chauvin want a sentence of time served and probation.

Derek Chauvin will be sentenced on June 25. Picture: AFP

Prosecutors have asked a US judge to sentence the white former policeman convicted of murdering George Floyd, an unarmed black man whose death last year sparked nationwide protests, to 30 years in prison.

Lawyers for the Minneapolis officer, Derek Chauvin, countered with a far different request — a sentence of time served and probation, claiming that their ­client was guilty of “an error made in good faith”.

In court documents sent ahead of the June 25 sentencing hearing, prosecutors in Minnesota called actions by the 45-year-old Chauvin an “egregious abuse” of his position. They recalled that judge Peter Cahill had ruled there were four aggravating factors in the case, allowing him to depart from state sentencing guidelines and clearing the path for a tough sentence.

Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on the neck of the 46-year-old Floyd – suspected of using a counterfeit bill – for more than nine minutes until he passed out and died on May 25, 2020, while ignoring the victim’s pleas for air and help.

The video of Floyd’s death, which went viral, sparked huge protests across the US and around the world against racism and police violence.

After a trial lasting several weeks, Chauvin was convicted of murder on April 20 and immediately jailed.

The most serious charge that he was convicted of — second-degree murder — carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. As a first-time offender, Chauvin had potentially faced 12 ½ years in prison on that count under the guidelines, but the ­aggravating factors mean Judge Cahill can opt for a longer jail term.

AFP