Jurors deliberated for just about nine hours in the Derek Chauvin case before announcing they had reached a verdict. He was found guilty on all counts.
BREAKING: Jury finds former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/WevhLzUmXX
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 20, 2021
The most serious charge is second-degree murder, which carries a potential prison sentence of up to 40 years. The sentencing guidelines for a first-time offender, however, as Chauvin is, call for a sentence up to 12 1/2 years or 150 months.
Third-degree murder is defined as unintentionally causing someone’s death by committing an act that is eminently dangerous to other persons while exhibiting a depraved mind, with reckless disregard for human life. That charge also carries a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, but given Chauvin would be a first offender, the actual sentence he receives could closer to 12 1/2 years.
Second-degree manslaughter is culpable negligence where a person creates an unreasonable risk and consciously takes the chance of causing death or great bodily harm to someone else. The charge has a potential 10-year sentence, but will likely be closer to four if the jury finds him guilty.
Prosecutors have argued that certain aggravating factors in the case call for a longer prison sentence if Chauvin is found guilty. Because of that, the jury’s work doesn’t end when they return their verdict. They will then be instructed to decide on those aggravating factors alleged by the prosecution.
Sentencing will be held in eight weeks.
Chauvin has been out on bail since last October. After the verdict was read, bail was revoked and he was ordered to be held in custody. He left the courtroom in handcuffs.
Derek Chauvin is taken out of the courtroom in handcuffs after being found guilty of murdering George Floyd pic.twitter.com/Ji0ghcRqW2
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) April 20, 2021
NPR writes about the makeup of the jury:
They include a chemist, a youth volunteer, a cardiac nurse and an IT professional.
The group is more racially diverse than Hennepin County, Minn., as a whole: Six are white, four are Black, and two identify as multiracial. Five are men and seven are women.
Minnesota AG Ellison reacts to verdict in Derek Chauvin trial:
"I would not call today's verdict, 'justice'…because justice implies true restoration. But it is accountability, which is the first step towards justice." pic.twitter.com/PZrrwcHi7i
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 20, 2021
Shortly after the verdict the President and Vice President spoke with Floyd’s family.
“I think of Gianna’s comment ‘my daddy’s going to change the world’—he’s going to start to change it now,” President Biden tells Floyd’s family.
“We’re going to get a lot more done,” He said on police reform. “This can be a first shot at dealing with genuine systemic racism.” https://t.co/ouVpzsLVvd
— Ryan Brooks (@ryanbrooks) April 20, 2021
Watch above via The Hill.
Ex-officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty on all three charges in the death of George Floyd.
After nearly three weeks of testimony from 45 witnesses, Chauvin now awaits sentencing.@jamieyuccas is there with the latest. https://t.co/7D99E4kMvA pic.twitter.com/7NoK66axzq
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) April 21, 2021