JUST IN: Derek Chauvin Sentenced to Additional 21 Years In Prison For Violating George Floyd’s Civil Rights

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced on Thursday to 21 years in federal prison for violating George Floyd’s civil rights.

Chauvin, who is White, was already serving a 22.5-year prison sentence after being convicted last year on state murder charges tied to putting his left knee on the neck of Floyd for over 9 minutes in 2020.

Floyd, a Black man, was killed during the incident, which began after Floyd was arrested for giving a forged $20 bill in a convenience store. Chauvin pleaded guilty in December to the federal charges of depriving Floyd of his Constitutional rights.

Due to Minnesota law, Chauvin will only serve two-thirds of his state sentence as long as he is on good behavior. The federal prison sentence, which he’ll serve concurrently with the state one, will extend his time behind bars. Chauvin got several months off the federal prison sentence due to time served. Chauvin will serve both sentences in federal prison in accordance with his plea deal.

According to the Associated Press:

Inmates qualify for parole earlier in the Minnesota prison system than they do in the federal system, so the agreement means Chauvin will spend at least a couple more years behind bars than he would have for the state murder conviction alone. But it avoids the life sentence he faced on the federal charges, and gives him the potential for a safer environment with a bit more freedom.

The prosecution asked for 25 years, while Chauvin’s team sought 20 years.