Why There Are Growing Calls to Pardon Derek Chauvin

_WHAT’S HAPPENING_

Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of killing George Floyd, is serving a 22.5-year sentence for felony murder. However, growing calls — including from figures like Ben Shapiro and Elon Musk — urge former President Trump to pardon him.

The case was one of the most explosive in modern American history, sparking nationwide riots, mass protests, and significant policy shifts. But new attention is being drawn to what some argue were major flaws in the trial, the autopsy findings, and the media’s role in shaping public perception.

_THE FACTS_

• The 2020 death of George Floyd led to nationwide riots that resulted in deaths, billions in damages, and the “Defund the Police” movement.

• Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years for felony murder. His three fellow officers received 3-4 years for aiding and abetting manslaughter.

• In November 2023, Chauvin was stabbed 22 times in prison by an inmate claiming to act in honor of Black Lives Matter.

• The original, official autopsy found no evidence of asphyxiation due to police restraint. Instead, Floyd had a lethal dose of fentanyl and methamphetamine in his system, along with severe heart disease.

• Floyd repeatedly said, “I can’t breathe,” before he was on the ground, contradicting the narrative that Chauvin’s knee directly caused his breathing issues.

• The knee hold Chauvin used was a Minneapolis Police Department-approved restraint at the time, called the Maximal Restraint Technique (MRT) — a method used on combative suspects.

• The prosecution’s key autopsy report wasn’t the official one. It was paid for by Floyd’s family and conducted by a pathologist who had previously received $100,000 to testify for OJ Simpson.

• The jury faced extreme pressure: Some jurors were open BLM supporters, while others were stalked, harassed, and intimidated by journalists.

• Despite these facts being available since the beginning, major media outlets and politicians downplayed or ignored them.

• As calls to pardon Chauvin grow, some argue he was convicted in a political trial rather than a fair legal process.

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