Months After Murder Conviction Derek Chauvin Pleaded Guilty

The guilty plea came nearly 18 months after the former officer held his knee on Floyd's neck and back for 9 minutes and 26 seconds while the 46-year-old Black man, handcuffed and lying prone in the

street, gasped for air and told Chauvin and other officers, "I can't breathe." Floyd's death on May 25, 2020, sparked protests nationwide against police brutality and racial injustice.

According to report, months after he was convicted of murder, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to civil rights charges related to the death of George Floyd.

Chauvin also pleaded guilty in a separate federal case in which he was accused of depriving the rights of a 14-year-old in Minneapolis in 2017 for allegedly kneeling on the back and neck of a handcuffed, non-resisting teenager.

As part of the plea agreement, Chauvin faces a sentence of between 20 and 25 years in prison. Prosecutors requested that he be sentenced to 25 years in prison to be served concurrently with his current 22 and a half year sentence on state murder charges. 

"Defendant Chauvin has pleaded guilty to two federal civil rights violations, one of which led to the tragic loss of George Floyd's life," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. "While recognizing that nothing can repair the harm caused by such acts, the Justice Department is committed to holding accountable those who violate the Constitution, and to safeguarding the civil rights of all Americans."

In April, Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for Floyd's death and was sentenced to 22 and a half years in state prison. Under Minnesota law, Chauvin will have to serve two-thirds of his sentence, or 15 years, and then will be eligible for supervised release for the remaining seven and a half years. 

Separate from his state murder case, Chauvin was charged in two federal indictments related to his policing. He had pleaded not guilty to the federal charges in September.

But on Wednesday, Chauvin appeared in federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, and admitted guilt. The hearing was not captured on video because cameras are not allowed in federal court. 

Assistant US Attorney Allen Slaughter asked Chauvin to confirm details included in the plea agreement, specifically whether Chauvin held Floyd down on the ground even after Floyd became unresponsive.

"Correct," Chauvin said to each question asked by the prosecutor.

US District Court Judge Paul Magnuson has not yet set a date for Chauvin's sentencing.

Members of the Floyd family were present in the courtroom, as was the unidentified juvenile Chauvin admitted to assaulting in 2017.