Minnesota and Minneapolis officials are reportedly working to “prepare” for possible Derek Chauvin pardon

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Minnesota and Minneapolis officials are reportedly in preparation for potential unrest amid speculation that Derek Chauvin may be pardoned for his federal conviction in the 2020 killing of George Floyd.

Derek Chauvin pardon rumors

Governor Tim Walz, the Minnesota National Guard, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt have all been briefed on contingency plans. Although there is no confirmed indication of an impending pardon, officials are acting out of caution due to the current political climate.

Speculation has been growing recently about a possible pardon for Chauvin, though the president denied those rumors in March, telling reporters, “No, I haven’t even heard about it,” the Minnesota Star Tribune reported.

Chauvin, 49, is currently serving a 21-year federal sentence in a Texas prison for violating Floyd’s civil rights. If pardoned federally, he would still be required to serve his 22.5-year state sentence in Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Corrections is prepared to transfer him back to Oak Park Heights Prison to serve the remainder of his state sentence, KSTP.com reports.

Sentence

Attorney General Keith Ellison emphasized that a federal pardon would not result in Chauvin’s release, stating, “He still owes Minnesota 22-and-a-half years. And he’s going to do it either in Minnesota or somewhere, but he’s not getting out.”

Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, was convicted in 2021 of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter for killing 46-year-old Floyd on May 25, 2020.

In 2021, he also pleaded guilty to a federal charge of violating Floyd’s civil rights and was sentenced to 21 years behind bars. His sentences are running concurrently.

Chauvin is expected to be released from federal prison in November 2037. His expected release from state custody is set for December 2035, after which he would be placed on supervised release until 2043.