Dereck M. Chauvin found guilty of murdering George P. Floyd Jr
Chauvin, 45, was found guilty of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
The jury of six white people and six Black or multiracial ones came back with its verdict after about 10 hours of deliberations over two days.
The former officer, Chauvin, who is white, was seen on video pinning Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, to the ground with his knee last Memorial Day for over nine minutes after police responded to a report that Floyd used a counterfeit $20 bill.
Cell phone video of the incident went viral and touched off months of protests in the US and abroad condemning police brutality and calling for racial justice. The widely watched trial, which began in March with jury selection, was livestreamed –Minnesota's first criminal case to be televised.
The video footage led to protests in the US and around the world over police use of force against minorities.
It is rare that US police are convicted of murder and this high-profile trial has been seen as a watershed in race relations.
Chauvin's defence argued that drugs and poor health caused Floyd's death but the prosecution urged the jury to believe what they saw in the video.
Chauvin may face long prison sentence
Chauvin faces 12 1/2 years or 150 months in prison under sentencing guidelines for a first-time offender. But, the prosecution argues there are aggravating factors that require a longer prison term. That means Chauvin may face longer than that sentence.
Throughout the trial, prosecutors argued that Chauvin's knee – pressed against Floyd's neck while he was handcuffed and face-down on the street – led to his death by loss of oxygen. The defense argued underlying heart issues and the methamphetamine and fentanyl in his system caused Floyd's death while he struggled with police.
The prosecution rested its case last week after calling 38 witnesses and playing dozens of video clips over the course of 11 days. The defense rested Thursday, April 15, 2021, after calling seven witnesses over two days. Attorneys for both sides presented their closing arguments on Monday, April 19, 2021.
Chauvin's bail was immediately revoked until his sentencing.
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