President Biden Says Chauvin's 22.5-Year Prison Sentence 'Seems To Be Appropriate'

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- President Joe Biden has reacted to Derek Chauvin's 22.5-year prison sentence for the murder of George Floyd.

On Friday at the Oval Office, Biden said he doesn't know all the sentencing guidelines, but that the sentence "seems to be appropriate".

Chauvin was sentenced by Judge Peter Cahill Friday afternoon at the Hennepin County Government Center, though he left most of his reasoning to a 22-page document he did not read aloud in the courtroom.

The sentencing order indicates that Chauvin will be prohibited from owning firearms or ammunition following his sentencing, and will need to register as a predatory offender going forward.

Biden made comments prior to Chauvin's sentencing in April, saying that he hoped the jury would come up with the "right verdict." He said he called the Floyd family when the jury went into deliberations.

"I can only imagine the pressure and the anxiety they're feeling," he said. "They're a good family and they're calling for peace and tranquility."

Biden said that he is "praying the verdict is the right verdict, which is — I think it's overwhelming, in my view."

Chauvin, 45, was later convicted of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's death. It took the jury roughly 10 hours of deliberation to reach their verdict. Floyd, who was 46 years old, died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin, who is white, pinned him to the ground with a knee on his neck as the Black man repeatedly said he couldn't breathe.