Derek Chauvin Tells Judge He’s Ready To Move ‘Past’ George Floyd ‘Incident’ As Part Of His Attempt To Argue For Only Probation
June 4 2021, Published 11:29 a.m. ET
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin believes the court should sentence him to only probation and not prison, claiming he has the support network in place, "to succeed as he moves past this incident."
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Chauvin's legal team is working to convince the judge to consider a series of factors during his sentencing on June 25.
In the motion, the disgraced cop says before the fatal encounter with Floyd, he was loved by his family and friends.
"Mr. Chauvin is still a human being. Before this incident occurred, Mr. Chauvin was an average man with a loving family and close friends. He was a husband, stepfather, uncle, brother, and son. To this day, Mr. Chauvin has a close relationship with his family and friends, and he benefits tremendously from their support," his lawyer wrote.
They added, "He has the support of his mother, stepfather, father, stepmother, and sister. Additionally, although they divorced in early 2021, Mr. Chauvin is still supported by his ex-wife, her family, and his former stepchildren."
The note revealed, "Mr. Chauvin has also received thousands of letters of support since his arrest in 2020 from local and international communities."
The attorney ended, "Mr. Chauvin has the support network he needs to succeed as he moves past this incident. Therefore, probation is appropriate for Mr. Chauvin."
He also says he fears the other prison inmates will target him if he's behind bars for too long. He's currently in solitary confinement and has not experienced any issues.
The former law enforcement officer also claims to have found out he has "heart damage." He fears the issue, along with the fact that police die younger than others, will lead to him dying early in prison.
A judge will make a decision on Chauvin's fate later this month.