| State v. Chauvin | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Court | Fourth Judicial District Court of Minnesota |
| Full case name | State of Minnesota v. Derek Michael Chauvin |
| Submitted | May 29, 2020 |
| Decided | April 20, 2021 |
| Verdict |
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| Prosecution | Keith Ellison (Attorney General)[1][2] Erin Eldridge[2] Jerry W. Blackwell[2] Matthew Frank (lead)[2] Steve Schleicher[2] |
| Defense | Eric Nelson |
| Citation | 27-CR-20-12646 |
| Legislation cited | Minnesota Statutes §§ 609.19.2(1) (Murder in the Second Degree—Unintentional); 609.195(a) (Murder in the Third Degree); 609.205(1) (Manslaughter in the Second Degree) |
| Case history | |
| Subsequent actions |
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| Related actions |
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| Court membership | |
| Judge sitting | Peter A. Cahill[3] |
State of Minnesota v. Derek Michael Chauvin was an American criminal case in the District Court of Minnesota in 2021. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was tried and convicted for the murder of George Floyd, which occurred during an arrest on May 25, 2020, and led to global protests over racial injustice and police brutality. A 12-member jury found Chauvin guilty of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. It was the first conviction of a white police officer in Minnesota for the murder of a black person.
The trial was held at the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, and it ran from March 8 to April 20, 2021. It was the first criminal trial in Minnesota to be entirely televised and the first to be broadcast live. The trial received extensive media coverage, with over 23 million people watching the verdict being announced on live television. Several protest marches and demonstrations were held up to and during the trial. Large crowds celebrated the guilty verdict announcement.
Chauvin was sentenced by the trial judge to 22+1⁄2 years in prison for second-degree murder, 10 years more than the presumptive sentence under the sentencing guideline of 12+1⁄2 years, due to Chauvin's abuse of power and his particular cruelty inflicted on Floyd. The first charge could have carried a maximum penalty of forty years in prison. Chauvin appealed his conviction, but the guilty verdict was upheld by the Minnesota Supreme Court. The United States Supreme Court declined to review the case.
- ^ Pross, Katrina (March 28, 2021). "A who's who guide to main players in Derek Chauvin trial". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Salter, Jim (April 4, 2021). "EXPLAINER: Legion of Chauvin prosecutors, each with own role". Associated Press. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
- ^ Forliti, Amy (March 7, 2021). "Key players in trial of ex-officer charged in Floyd's death". Daily Herald. Retrieved March 10, 2021.