Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis Police officer convicted in the death of George Floyd, was handed his sentence Friday.
In April, Chauvin, 45, was found guilty on three counts: Second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for more than 9 minutes. He is widely expected to appeal.
Chauvin was sentenced on the most serious charge, second-degree unintentional murder, which under Minnesota law has a maximum sentence of 40 years.
“Let us not feel that we’re here to celebrate because justice would have been George Floyd would have never been killed, justice would have been the maximum … 22 and a half years is longer than we ever got but shorter than what we should have gotten in the past,” Sharpton said at a press conference after the sentencing.
He was joined by civil rights attorney Ben Crump and members of Floyd’s family. Together, they shared a prayer in front of the Hennepin County courthouse.