Harry Whitehead
Derek Chauvin has reportedly closed in on a potential plea deal with federal prosecutors, multiple anonymous sources told a local CBS affiliate Monday.
Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, was sentenced Friday to 22.5 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd. Chauvin faces life in prison for federal civil rights charges, but a plea deal would reduce the sentence to 20-25 years, the sources told CBS Minnesota.
Chauvin, 45, was found guilty in April 2021 for second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter of Floyd.
Chauvin likely referred to the potential plea deal during remarks he made to the Floyd family during his sentencing last week, the sources told CBS Minnesota.
“Due to legal matters, I’m not able to give a full formal statement … I give my condolences to the Floyd family, there’s gonna be some other information in the future that will be of interest and I hope these will give you some peace of mind,” Chauvin had said in a Minnesota courtroom.
The plea deal will likely require Chauvin to explain what he did to Floyd and why he chose to do it, the sources told CBS Minnesota.
“We don’t want to see no more slaps on the wrist. We’ve been through that already,” George Floyd’s brother, Terrence Floyd, told Chauvin during the sentencing.
“What was going through your head when you had your knee on my brother’s neck?” Terrence Floyd asked.
Former Hennepin County Chief Public Defender Mary Moriarity told CBS Minnesota that she thinks Chauvin may have been motivated to negotiate a plea deal after the state quickly found him guilty.
“That is because, in federal court, there would be a substantial difference between what he would receive if he went to trial and was convicted versus what he would get if he pled guilty, and as they say take responsibility for his actions,” Moriarity told CBS Minnesota.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Floyd family attorney Ben Crump did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comments.
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