Minnesota’s Attorney General, Keith Ellison, is speaking out against efforts to get Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who killed George Floyd, pardoned by former President Donald Trump.
Chauvin is currently serving time for both state and federal charges related to Floyd’s death, and Ellison says Chauvin “still owes Minnesota 22 ½ years” for the crimes he committed there. Chauvin, who is 49, was convicted on state charges of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter after he killed Floyd in 2020.
Floyd, who was 46, died after Chauvin kneeled on his neck for over nine minutes while arresting him. Chauvin was also sentenced to 21 years in federal prison for violating Floyd’s civil rights. These two sentences are running at the same time.
Recently, some conservative voices, including commentator Ben Shapiro and entrepreneur Elon Musk, have been pushing for Chauvin to be pardoned. Shapiro even started an online petition asking people to support the idea, which Musk shared on his social media. But Ellison quickly shot down the idea, saying that the focus should stay on the fact that Chauvin is still serving his sentence in Minnesota and must complete his 22 ½ years for the crime he committed there.
Chauvin did try to appeal his state conviction, but in 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case, meaning his conviction stands. While some people continue to argue for his release, Ellison’s message is clear: Chauvin needs to serve his time in Minnesota, no matter what happens with his federal sentence.