Share this @internewscast.com

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Prosecutors are asking a judge to give Derek Chauvin a more severe penalty than state guidelines call for when he is sentenced in June for George Floyd’s death, arguing in court documents filed Friday that Floyd was particularly vulnerable and that Chauvin abused his authority as a police officer.

Defense attorney Eric Nelson is opposing a tougher sentence, saying the state has failed to prove that those aggravating factors, among others, existed when Chauvin arrested Floyd on May 25.

Chauvin, who is white, was convicted last week of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for 9 1/2 minutes as the Black man said he couldn’t breathe and went motionless.

Even though he was found guilty of three counts, under Minnesota statutes he’ll only be sentenced on the most serious one — second-degree murder. While that count carries a maximum sentence of 40 years, experts say he won’t get that much.

Prosecutors did not specify how much time they would seek for Chauvin.

Under Minnesota sentencing guidelines, the presumptive sentence for second-degree unintentional murder for someone with no criminal record like Chauvin would be 12 1/2 years. Judges can sentence someone to as little as 10 years and eight months or as much as 15 years and still be within the advisory guideline range. To go above that, Judge Peter Cahill would have to find that there were “aggravating factors,” and even if those are found, legal experts have said Chauvin would likely face a maximum of 30 years.

In legal briefs filed Friday, prosecutors said Chauvin should be sentenced above the guideline range because Floyd was particularly vulnerable with his hands cuffed behind his back as he was face-down on the ground. They noted that Chauvin held his position even after Floyd became unresponsive and officers knew he had no pulse.

Prosecutors also said Chauvin treated Floyd with particular cruelty during the lengthy restraint, and that he abused his position of authority as a police officer. Prosecutors also wrote that Chauvin committed his crime as part of a group, and that he pinned Floyd down in the presence of children — including a 9-year-old girl who testified at trial that watching the restraint made her “sad and kind of mad.”

Source: huffpost

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Newlywed Husband Sentenced for Wife’s Murder Just Two Weeks After Wedding

Main, left to right: Cassidy Ritchie (Tulsa Police Dept.) and Chris E.…

Man Sentenced After Shocking Crime and Disturbing FaceTime Call

Inset left: Taton Dorfman (Pima County Sheriff”s Department). Inset right: Hannah Rogers…

Shocking Court Ruling: Man’s Attempt to Conceal Disturbing Charges of Bestiality and Child Abuse Denied

A man facing serious charges including rape, bestiality, and child abuse has…

Road Rage Tragedy: Indiana Woman Fatally Shoots Driver Over Traffic Light Dispute

An Indiana woman faces murder charges following an alleged act of road…

12-Year-Old Left Behind: Parents Relocate Without Informing Son, Police Investigate

Share A young boy in Texas returned from school to a startling…

Uncovering Nature’s Mysteries: Explore the Wildlife CSI Academy at Lake Tobias Wildlife Park

Occasionally, the most profound insights into justice can emerge from the least…

Duo Caught in Foiled Robbery Attempt

Staff Report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Early this morning, authorities apprehended Leeandra Morris,…

FBI Intensifies Search for Missing 9-Year-Old Melodee Buzzard in California; Mother’s Lack of Cooperation Raises Concerns

The FBI has stepped in to assist in the ongoing search for…

Driver’s Sudden Braking Sends Passenger Airborne: Police Report

Inset: Lamireon Robinson (Navarro County Justice Center). Background: East 13th Avenue in…

Experts Suggest Some Stolen Louvre Artifacts May Remain Lost Forever

The Louvre Museum in Paris has announced it will keep its doors…

Tragic Shooting: 27-Year-Old Man Targets High School Cheerleader and Three Others

Left: Steven Tyler Whitehead (Jefferson County Sheriff”s Office). Right: Kimber Mills (GoFundMe).…

Mother Allegedly Harmed Autistic Son Over Behavioral Challenges

In a tragic turn of events, a woman in Washington has been…