Derek Chauvin is led out of the courtroom, handcuffed, after the verdict of his trial for the death of George Floyd is read at the Minneapolis courthouse on April 20, 2021. – USA TODAY NETWORK / Sipa USA / SIPA
The American police officer Derek Chauvin convicted Tuesday of the murder of George Floyd will know his sentence on June 16, according to a document released Friday by the justice of Minnesota. Sentencing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. local time (6.30 p.m. GMT) at the Minneapolis court, according to the schedule posted by the judicial authority.
Derek Chauvin faces 12 and a half years in prison but his sentence could be extended if the magistrate concludes that there are aggravating circumstances. The 45-year-old white police officer was on trial for killing the black forty-something by kneeling on his neck for nearly ten minutes during his May 2020 arrest in Minneapolis.
Minneapolis Police Investigation
The death of George Floyd has become a symbol of police brutality against minorities in the United States. His agony had been filmed by a passerby. The scene, broadcast on social networks, had been around the world, provoking angry protests and calls for in-depth reform of the American police, regularly accused of racism.
Justice Minister Merrick Garland on Wednesday announced the opening of an investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department to determine whether they “follow unconstitutional or illegal policing patterns or practices.” The investigation aims to determine whether the police systematically use excessive force, including during legal demonstrations.
New victims
Several other police blunders took place during the three weeks of the trial, further increasing tension in the northern city of the United States.
On April 11, Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old African-American, was killed by a white police officer during an ordinary traffic stop in the suburbs of Minneapolis. His death led to rallies peppered with violence for several days.
And just before the verdict was announced, Ma’Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old black teenager, was shot and killed by a police officer in Columbus, Ohio. According to the images of the pedestrian camera carried by the officer, she appeared to attack another young girl with a knife.