This Tuesday, April 20, 2021, the jury in Minneapolis, in the United States, convicted the former police officer, Derek Chauvin, for the crime of murder in the second and third degree, as well as involuntary manslaughter, for the murder against the African-American citizen, George Floyd, on May 25, 2020.
After three weeks of hearings, in which the testimonies of witnesses, police officers and medical experts were presented, the jury deliberated, starting on Monday, April 19, and announced its decision on Tuesday.
On the outskirts of the Court, hundreds of citizens awaited the verdict and after knowing the guilty decision, they embraced and expressed their joy, for what they considered one of the most relevant events in history.
Chauvin is expected to be sentenced in the next eight weeks. Under Minnesota law, Chauvin can face a sentence of 12 1/2 years in prison as a criminal with no criminal record.
However, prosecutors could request a longer sentence, up to a maximum of 40 years, if Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill, who presided over the trial, determines that there were “aggravating factors.”
On May 25, 2020, the African-American was detained for no reason on the streets of Minneapolis by police officers, including Chauvin who suffocated him, after putting his knee on Floyd’s neck. Days later, the citizen died in a hospital in this town.
The video of the police attack went viral on social networks and sparked weeks of protest in this American city. Since then, groups and citizens around the world have demanded justice for this case.
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