Who Is Derek Chauvin

Derek Michael Chauvin is a former Minneapolis police officer and the primary subject of the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, whose trial jury convicted him on April 20th, 2021, of the murder of George Floyd. The incident took place on May 25th, 2020, ending with Chauvin pinning Floyd to the ground with a knee on his neck for an extended period of time. Floyd’s death and evidence of Chauvin’s brutality has sparked widespread demonstrations and protests against police brutality across the country and around the world, becoming a symbol of police violence and racism.

Born in Minnesota, Chauvin worked as a police officer for the Minneapolis Police Department from 2001 until his firing in May 2020, following Floyd’s murder. During his 19-year career with the department, Chauvin faced multiple complaints for excessive force and mistreatment of citizens, none of which resulted in disciplinary action.

Chauvin was initially charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter, but was ultimately found guilty of all three charges on April 20th, 2021. He faced a potential sentence of up to 40 years in prison. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence of Chauvin’s prior history of misconduct, as well as that of the other officers present during the killing of Floyd. Additionally, they depicted the dehumanizing way in which he treated Floyd and the other bystanders during the encounter and argued that he deliberately ignored the pleas of bystanders to stop using excessive force. Chauvin’s defence team made a case for why his actions were reasonable given the circumstances and tried to paint him as a law enforcement officer who was simply following the department’s protocols.

Though Chauvin’s initial trial has concluded, his story will undoubtedly continue to shape the narrative of police brutality, racial injustice, and civil rights in the United States and the rest of the world. He remains behind bars awaiting sentencing.