Derek Chauvin Pleads Guilty To Civil Rights Violation Charges

Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin pled guilty to federal charges of violating George Floyd’s civil rights, and also pled guilty to violating the rights of a then 14-year-old in 2017 as part of the same deal.

Chauvin was convicted of state murder and manslaughter charges this past spring for pinning Floyd by the neck with his knee while arresting Floyd in May of 2020. Floyd, a black man, was heard in recordings saying he couldn’t breathe and later died. Chauvin ignored pleas from bystanders to remove his knee from Floyd’s neck and neglected to perform medical assistance when he appeared unconscious.

In this civil rights trial, Chauvin has been charged with depriving Floyd of his rights both when he was kneeling on Floyd when he was handcuffed and not resisting, and again when he neglected to provide medical care.

Along with charges relating to Floyd, Chauvin has also pleaded guilty to violating the rights of a teenager during a 2017 arrest. Chauvin held the boy by the throat, beat him, and even pinned the boy with his knee in a similar manner to Floyd while he was not resisting.

Ex-officers Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao were indicted with Chauvin on the state murder and manslaughter charges, but their trial is slated for early next year.

According to evidence presented against Chauvin in the state case, Lane and Kueng both helped Chauvin restrain Floyd, while Thao prevented bystanders from intervening. Floyd’s arrest and death were captured on cellphone video and sparked nationwide protest against police mistreatment of black people.

Chauvin will not face a trial in January, but he could face a longer sentence as a result of the Wednesday plea. Chauvin is already sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for the murder convictions and is currently incarcerated at maximum security facility Oak Park Heights Prison in Minnesota.