Ben Shapiro urges Trump to pardon Derek Chauvin
American political commentator Ben Shapiro has called on Donald Trump to pardon Officer Derek Chauvin, who is serving a sentence for the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Trump left no doubt about the pardon.
The case of George Floyd sparked enormous emotions in the United States. In May 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a 46-year-old African American man was subdued by police officers in a way that prevented him from breathing. The reason for his arrest was the suspicion that he might have used a counterfeit bill.
Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for several minutes, thus obstructing Floyd's breathing, which ultimately led to his death. He reportedly did not respond to suggestions from bystanders warning that Floyd had lost consciousness. Floyd himself also stated he couldn't breathe and begged for his life.
Chauvin is simultaneously serving a state sentence of 22.5 years for murder and a 21-year federal sentence for violating Floyd's civil rights.
Commentator Ben Shapiro appealed to Donald Trump to issue a pardon for the officer, arguing that Chauvin could not expect a fair trial due to the enormous public interest in the case. The "New York Post" adds that the president can only pardon Chauvin for the federal charges, meaning the officer would not leave prison anyway.
Shapiro claimed that Floyd had breathing problems before the police intervention. He added that Chauvin "is rotting in prison" because of "blind justice," calling the officer’s conviction a success for the African American movement in politics.
No, I haven’t even heard about it, no. I haven’t heard of that - said Donald Trump in the Oval Office during an interview with journalists. His statement is quoted by "NYPost".
