Derek Chauvin, a state defendant in Floyd’s death 2020 was convicted this year. He was sentenced for 22 1/2 years. Federal court also charges him with violating Floyd’s civil rights. He knelt down on Floyd’s neck for approximately 9 1/2 minutes while Floyd was lying facedown on the ground.
Another indictment against Chauvin alleges that he committed a similar act in 2017 against a 14-year-old boy. The indictment claims that Chauvin, a Black teenager, deprived him of his right of being free from unreasonable force. He allegedly grabbed the boy by the throat and hit him with a flashlight.
According to a 2017 police report, Chauvin stated that the teen refused to be arrested and that Chauvin used his body weight to “pin” the teen to the ground. Two stitches were required to stop the bleeding from the boy’s ears.
This was just one of many instances mentioned in state court filings. They claimed that Chauvin used neck, head, and upper body restraints seven more times before Floyd died. Four times, state prosecutors said that Chauvin went beyond the point where such force was necessary under the circumstances.
Federal arraignment hearings allow defendants to have their charges read aloud. Usually, not guilty pleas will be entered. The hearing will be conducted remotely via videoconference on Thursday.
Chauvin, three other ex-officers — Thomas Lane and J. Kueng — were arraigned for civil rights violations after Floyd’s Tuesday death. They all pleaded not guilty. Floyd’s 2017 indictment was filed on the same day.
The indictment against Floyd in Floyd’s murder alleges that the officers deposed Floyd while they were acting under the authority of the government. According to the federal indictment, Chauvin allegedly violated Floyd’s right not to be subject to unreasonable seizure or unreasonable force by police officers. Thao and Kueng were charged with Floyd’s right not to be subject to unreasonable seizure. They did not stop Chauvin from knelting on Floyd’s neck. The four officers were charged with Floyd’s deprivation of rights by failing to provide medical treatment.
Floyd said repeatedly that he couldn’t breathe when Chauvin pinched him to the ground. Kueng and Lane assisted Floyd in restraint; Kueng placed his back on Floyd and Lane held Floyd’s legs. According to evidence at state court, Floyd was unable to breathe. Thao kept the other witnesses from interfering and held them back.
