Derek Chauvin, former Minneapolis police officer, has been sentenced to 22 years and six months in prison for the murder of George Floyd.
Delivering judgement on Friday, Peter Cahill, the presiding judge, said the sentence was not based on public opinion.
“The sentence is not based on is emotion or sympathy, but at the same time I want to acknowledge the deep and tremendous pain that all the families are feeling, especially the Floyd family. I acknowledge and hear the pain you are feeling,” the judge said.
“I am not basing my sentence on public opinion. I’m not basing it on any attempt to send any message but based on specific facts.”
Floyd died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin knelt on his neck, in what appeared to be an attempt to restrain him.
The death of the African American had sparked outrage within and outside the US.
The Friday sentencing comes months after a jury at a Minnesota state court found Chauvin guilty on the three counts of murder levelled against him.
The former police officer had been charged with unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, but had pleaded not guilty to all three charges.
In the verdict delivered by the jury in April 2021, Chauvin’s bail was also revoked at the time.
Meanwhile, in March, the city of Minneapolis approved the sum of $27 million as settlement, following the civil lawsuit filed by Floyd’s family over his death in police custody.
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