Black Information Network – On Wednesday (December 15), Derek Chauvin pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with the murder of George Floyd.
The former Minneapolis police officer appeared in the Hennepin County Courthouse in-person to change his plea from not guilty to guilty.
Chauvin was charged with violating Floyd’s civil rights after he knelt on the 46-year-old’s neck for more than nine minutes during an arrest last May. With a guilty plea, Chauvin will avoid a federal trial over the charges, but will likely extend the amount of time he spends behind bars for the killing.
In April, a jury convicted Chauvin on state murder and manslaughter charges. He was later sentenced to 22 and half years in prison. Since then, Chauvin has reportedly been held in solitary confinement at a state correctional facility and could possibly be moved to a federal facility.
According to the Associated Press, Chauvin’s sentence will be determined by a judge at a later date and could add on six more years if he gets credit for good behavior.
Reading about Black trauma can have an impact on your mental health. If you or someone you know need immediate mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. These additional resources are also available:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
The National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-950-6264
The Association of Black Psychologists 1-301-449-3082
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America 1-240-485-1001
