Derek Chauvin, Officer Who Killed George Floyd, Freed On $1 Million Bail

The former police officer Derek Chauvin, whose depiction in the now-infamous George Floyd video sparked a wave of Black Lives Matter protests across the country, has posted a million-dollar bail bond, securing his release from prison prior to the upcoming trial. Chauvin is one of four police officers being charged in the death of Floyd.

Chauvin and his fellow former officers posted bail ranging from $750,000 to $1,000,000, with his being the largest by far due to the more serious charges filed against him. Originally, the bail’s conditions include appearing before a magistrate, forfeiting the use of a firearm, refraining from contacting the Floyd family, refraining from police work and staying within the state of Minnesota. However, a judge later amended the last condition saying that Chauvin may be not be safe from retribution in the state.

Chauvin’s name became synonymous with police brutality following his portrayal alongside officers Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao in the video, which circulated across social media platforms. Chauvin is seen kneeling on Floyd’s neck, who had told the officers numerous times that he was unable to breathe. Floyd later died due, leading Chauvin to be charged with second-degree manslaughter and second-degree murder, facing the possibility of over 40 years in prison.

The former lawman had a history of complaints filed against him for brutality, with Maya Santamaria, the owner of a nightclub that Chauvin moonlighted as a security guard for, saying of him that he “was nice, but he would overreact and lash out quickly,” according to BuzzFeed News. In an interview, Santamaria recounted one incident where Chauvin maced black guest in order to break up a fight they had nothing to do with, a tactic she called “overkill.”

Proceedings for the case will begin in March, with court officials still deciding on whether to charge the officers all at once or separately.