Derek Chauvin's Mom Blasts Authorities for Keeping Her in the Dark After Her Son Was Stabbed
Derek Chauvin was stabbed 22 times by a fellow inmate in an Arizona federal prison.
Nov. 26 2023, Published 11:15 a.m. ET
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been stabbed by another inmate, and his mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, is expressing her anger at authorities for not informing her before the headlines got out about it, RadarOnline.com has learned.
A spokesperson for the prison said his safety is their priority.
Pawlenty, 75, learned about her son's attack and the need for "lifesaving measures" through the media last Friday, November 24. She condemned the Bureau of Prisons for failing to contact her, stating that the lack of communication was "completely unacceptable."
"I can't even think what to say," Pawlenty told Alpha News.
"I haven't been to bed and made a path in my kitchen and living room floor by pacing. I am worried and scared."
Chauvin is expected to survive.
Chauvin's attorney, Gregory M. Erickson, also criticized the authorities for their failure to inform them of the attack and provide updates on Chauvin's condition.
Erickson described the situation as a "damning indictment" of the state of the prison. Currently, the exact location of Chauvin's recovery is unknown.
Pawlenty expressed her frustration at being kept in the dark, especially considering her visits to Chauvin in the Arizona prison, where he was transferred for his safety in August 2022.
Previously, Chauvin's lawyer argued that he would be safer away from Minneapolis, where he had served as a police officer for 19 years and had arrested many individuals who are now his fellow inmates.
This stabbing incident is the second high-profile attack on a federal prisoner in the last five months.
Pawlenty pleaded for leniency at her son's sentencing hearing in July 2021 and continues to support him, stating that the former cop had always dedicated his life and time to the police department. She also mentioned that even on his days off, he would call in to see if they needed help.
Chauvin was convicted in April 2021 for the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. The incident sparked widespread protests against police brutality.
The former police officer received a 22-and-a-half-year state sentence for second-degree murder and a 21-year federal sentence for violating Floyd's civil rights.
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Initially, Chauvin was held in a state prison in Minnesota before being transferred to the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson, Arizona.
The Arizona prison, a medium-security facility, has faced security lapses and staffing shortages in the past.
This stabbing incident is the second high-profile attack on a federal prisoner in the last five months. In July, disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar was stabbed by a fellow inmate at a federal penitentiary in Florida.
It is also the second major incident to occur at the Tucson federal prison in a little over a year. In November 2022, an inmate at the low-security prison camp attempted to shoot a visitor in the head, but the gun misfired, causing no injuries.
Chauvin's lawyer, Erickson, expressed his disappointment with the lack of information provided by the prison. He emphasized the importance of empathy, asking readers to imagine how they would feel if a loved one had been stabbed and forced to suffer alone, with their location concealed from them.
