Derek Chauvin pardon row: Official says Trump's clemency won't free George Floyd's killer from prison
A Minnesota official addressed speculation about President Donald Trump pardoning Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer convicted over the killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. ABC affiliate, KSTP, reported on Tuesday that Governor Tim Walz, the Minnesota National Guard, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and Attorney General Keith Ellison were warned about potential unrest if Trump pardons Chauvin. The president himself has made no remark indicating his move.
Trump had pardoned two Washington, DC police officers back in January. The two were convicted in the 2020 killing of Karon Hylton-Brown, a 20-year-old Black man. The pardon sparked speculation about a federal pardon being planned for Chauvin.
Even prominent Republicans demanded Trump's pardon for Chauvin. Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene called on the president via an X post.
'I strongly support Derek Chauvin being pardoned and released from prison,' she tweeted. She and other MAGA influencers claimed that George Floyd died of a drug overdose.
Chauvin, 49, was one of four officers who were at the scene when a convenience store's owner claimed Floyd had attempted to pay for cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill. They handcuffed him.
During the arrest, Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes. The 46-year-old ultimately lost consciousness. Coroners ruled Floyd's death a homicide the following day, sparking huge Black Lives Matter demonstrations around the world.
Now, with speculation around a potential pardon being made, an official warned that even a federal clemency cannot get Derek Chauvin out of prison. The former Minneapolis police officer is currently serving a 22-and-a-half-year state sentence for the second-degree unintentional murder and a concurrent 21-year federal sentence for violating Floyd's civil rights.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison told Newsweek that even if Trump pardons Chauvin, the former officer will have to serve his state sentence.
'A pardon of Chauvin's federal conviction would only send him back to Minnesota to serve the remainder of his sentence in state prison. The only conceivable purpose would be to show further disrespect for George Floyd—and for the rule of law,' Ellison told the media outlet via email.
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