Derek Chauvin is 'close to reaching plea deal' in federal civil rights case that will force him to explain why he killed George Floyd in court in exchange for 20-year sentence instead of life in prison
Derek Chauvin is reportedly close to reaching a plea deal with federal prosecutors on civil rights charges over the death of George Floyd.
Chauvin, 45, was sentenced by a Minnesota state court on Friday to 22 and a half years in prison for Floyd's murder. He was convicted of the May 25, 2020 killing on April 20.
He was indicted on May 7 by a grand jury on separate federal charges that he violated Floyd's civil rights by use of excessive force during arrest.
On Monday CBS reported that a plea deal was close to being agreed, and as part of it Chauvin would have to publicly explain what he did to Floyd and why.
Derek Chauvin (left) is reportedly close to reaching a plea deal on federal charges that would force him to explain what he did to George Floyd (right) and why in court
The network reported that, as part of the plea, Chauvin could get a 20- to 25-year sentence, which he would serve at the same time as the state sentence, and that he would serve his time in federal not state prison.
If convicted in federal court, Chauvin could face life in prison.
Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, was one of four officers on the scene when Floyd was arrested for using a counterfeit bill.
Chauvin pressed his knee to Floyd's throat for over nine minutes, as the black man gasped that he could not breathe.
On Friday Floyd's brother, Terrence, told Chauvin that he needed answers.
'We don't want to see no more slaps on the wrist. We've been through that already,' he said.
He then turned to Chauvin and asked: 'What was going through your head when you had your knee on my brother's neck?'
Derek Chauvin, 45, is seen in court on Friday for his sentencing. He apologized to the Floyd family before he was handed a 22.5 year sentence
Chauvin seemed to reference a potential deal when he was sentenced on the state charges.
'Due to legal matters, I'm not able to give a full formal statement,' he said.
'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.'
Mary Moriarity, the chief public defender of Hennepin County until 2020, told CBS that Chauvin was likely swayed by the swift guilty verdict in the state case.
'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,' she said.
Lawyer Ben Crump, surrounded by members of George Floyd's family, gestures as he talks to the media after the sentence was handed down on Friday
Chauvin is currently in a segregation unit at Oak Park Heights - Minnesota's only maximum security prison.
He will remain separated from the general prison population 'for the time being,' the Minnesota Department of Corrections said on Monday.
Minnesota inmates must serve a minimum of two-thirds of their sentence, meaning Chauvin could be released in 15 years.
No comments: