On Friday (June 25), nearly two months after Derek Chauvin was found guilty in the murder of George Floyd, a Minneapolis judge announced that he would be sentenced to 22 and half years in prison, which includes the 199 days that he’s already served.
The news was immediately met with an onslaught of varying reactions from social media users. Among the many people to respond was Tina Knowles-Lawson, who expressed her disappointment with what she considers a lenient sentence.
“Very disappointing!!” she wrote before revealing a loved one’s experience with the judicial system. “My Godson was sentenced to 20 years for 2 ounces of marijuana. He has been in jail for 11 years.
“This man [was] convicted of three charges. He murdered this man on TV before the world. And will only serve 15! The system has to change!”
Last May, Floyd passed away from cardiopulmonary arrest after Chauvin placed a knee to his neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds and ignored his pleas to breathe. Darnella Frazier captured the now-viral video of his final moments, which played a vital role in Judge Peter Cahill’s decision following Chauvin’s three-week murder trial. The former Minneapolis cop was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in connection with Floyd’s killing.
Despite claims that he was unable to afford an attorney, pleas to get probation and motions for a new trial, Chauvin was sentenced to 22 and half years behind bars, which can potentially be reduced to about 15 years and parole provided he maintains good behavior. He must also register as a predatory offender and is prohibited from owning a gun or explosives for the rest of his life.
“I want to give my condolences to the Floyd family,” he said in court after his sentencing announcement. “There’s going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest, and I hope things will give you some peace of mind.”
Look below to see Tina Knowles-Lawson’s Instagram post.