Federal prosecutors and ex-Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin are close to reaching a plea deal, according to reports.
Multiple sources told WCCO that as part of the plea deal, Chauvin would have to publicly disclose what he did to Floyd and why. The sources also said the deal would entail him getting a 20- to 25-year sentence that would run concurrently with his second-degree murder sentence, which is a state charge.
Sources told the news outlet that under the plea deal, the former Minneapolis police officer would serve his sentence in federal prison.
Last week, Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years for George Floyd’s May 2020 murder. At his sentencing hearing, Chauvin hinted at there being a development that would be of interest to Floyd’s family.
BREAKING: Derek Chauvin addresses the court at his sentencing in the murder of George Floyd.
"I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family," he says in brief remarks. https://t.co/IuuRKnTv3s pic.twitter.com/Wj2AUZXC9t
— ABC News (@ABC) June 25, 2021
Sources told WCCO that he was referring to the prospective plea deal.
“Due to legal matters, I’m not able to give a full formal statement … I give my condolences to the Floyd family, there’s gonna be some other information in the future that will be of interest and I hope these will give you some peace of mind,” he said.
In early May, a federal grand jury indicted Chauvin for violating the civil rights of Floyd and a 14-year-old boy he allegedly struck with a flashlight, held by the throat, and knelt on for 17 minutes during a 2017 arrest.
Three other former Minneapolis police officers who responded to the May 2020 call, Thomas Lane, 37, J. Alexander Kueng, 26, and Tou Thao, 34, are also facing federal charges for allegedly using the “color of law” to violate Floyd’s civil rights.
On the state level, the three other officers are awaiting trial for aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter. Their joint trial was recently delayed to March 2022, as Hennepin County judge Peter Cahill wanted the publicity surrounding Chauvin’s case to subside and to give priority to their federal trial.
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[Featured image: Derek Chauvin/Minnesota Department of Corrections]
