MINNEAPOLIS: An attorney for George Floyd’s family said Friday that family members were feeling anxious ahead of a sentencing hearing for former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin.
Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder and other charges in Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020, and he faces a practical maximum of 30 years when he’s sentenced Friday afternoon.
Family attorney Ben Crump told that family members were feeling “anxious and tense.” Floyd’s brother Philonise, his brother Terrence and his nephew Brandon Williams plan to make victim impact statements at Chauvin's sentencing.
“To us, George Floyd is a cause. He’s a case; he’s a hashtag. To them -- that’s their flesh and blood. You know, that that’s their brother,” Crump said.
Crump also said he wanted to see a sentence above what is typically given for a second-degree murder conviction.
“There was nothing typical about what Derek Chauvin did in torturing George Floyd to death,” Crump said. “So we don’t expect it to be a typical sentence. It needs to be a sentence that sets a new precedent for holding police officers accountable for the unjustifiable killings of Black people in America.”
In Minnesota, the presumptive sentence for second-degree unintentional murder for someone with no criminal record like Chauvin is 12 1/2 years, and the judge could sentence Chauvin to up to 15 years while staying within the guidelines. But Judge Peter Cahill has already found that there are aggravating factors that would allow him to go above the state's sentencing guidelines. Prosecutors are seeking a 30-year sentence, while Chauvin's defense has asked for probation.