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Topics: George Floyd, US News
Stewart Perrie
Topics: George Floyd, US News
Former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin has been sentenced to 20 years and five months in a federal prison for violating George Floyd's civil rights.
The 46-year-old is already serving 22-and-a-half years in prison for the murder and manslaughter of the unarmed man, which happened during an arrest in May 2020.
Floyd's murder sparked a huge resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement around the world.
However, Chauvin has now been sentenced over a separate charge of civil rights violation.
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He was initially staring down the barrel of up to up to 25 years in jail, according to The Guardian, however he took a plea deal, which meant he didn't have to go to trial again.
The 46-year-old admitted in December that he violated Floyd's civil rights not to face 'unreasonable seizure' when he knelt on his neck and back for nearly 10 minutes during an arrest.
Floyd repeatedly yelled that he couldn't breathe during the dramatic arrest before eventually losing consciousness and dying.
US District Judge Paul Magnuson said Chauvin had to be 'held accountable' for his crimes.
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The former police officer will now be transferred from a state prison, where he was serving his murder sentence, to a federal prison.
The Daily Mail reports that federal prisons are 'considered by many to be a far safer and less restrictive place to serve time'.
Chauvin's 20-year sentence for civil rights violations will run concurrently with his 22.5-year sentence for murder and manslaughter.
The 46-year-old said he 'wishes all the best' for George Floyd's children.
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He didn't offer any direct apology or remorse to Floyd's family.