Chauvin sentenced to 22.5 years for Floyd murder

MINNEAPOLIS: Former policeman Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 and a half years in jail Friday for murdering African American George Floyd, a killing that sparked America´s biggest demonstrations for racial justice in decades. "The sentence is not based on emotion or sympathy," said Judge Peter Cahill, handing down the term at a Minneapolis court after prosecutors sought a 30-year sentence.

He added in a short address that it was also not based on "on public opinion," but on the law and the facts specific to the case.

The lawyer for George Floyd´s family hailed a "historic" step towards racial reconciliation on Friday as former policeman Derek Chauvin received a 22.5 year prison sentence for the African American´s murder. "This historic sentence brings the Floyd family and our nation one step closer to healing by delivering closure and accountability," lawyer Ben Crump tweeted.