The sentencing date for former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin has been rescheduled.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Chauvin’s new hearing has been set for June 25, a little over a week after his original sentencing date of June 16. Spenser Bickett, a court spokesman, said it was moved due to a scheduling conflict. The hearing time will remain at 1:30 p.m. CDT. Last Tuesday (April 20), the former officer was convicted for the murder of George Floyd. Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for Floyd’s death after he held his knee on his neck for more than nine minutes.
Floyd’s passing, which was caught on camera, sparked nationwide protests and reignited the Black Lives Matter movement. Several celebrities, including Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx, Rihanna and Janelle Monáe, spoke out demanding justice for Floyd.
Chauvin was subsequently fired from the Minneapolis Police Department, arrested and charged. His murder trial took place over the course of three weeks. The 12-person jury listened to 45 witnesses, including people who were there when Floyd was killed and medical experts who watched the video of Chauvin restraining him. Ultimately, the jury decided that Chauvin used excessive force and found him guilty on all counts.
Following the verdict, Judge Peter Cahill remanded Chauvin into custody. He is currently being held at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights until his June sentencing hearing and has been placed in a segregation housing unit for his own safety.
Chauvin is facing up to 40 years behind bars for his most serious charge. The maximum sentence for third-degree murder is imprisonment up to 25 years and the maximum sentence for second-degree manslaughter is 10 years and/or a $20,000 fine. The former cop does not have a prior criminal record, so the chances of him receiving the max sentence are unlikely.