Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was convicted for the murder of George Floyd was stabbed in federal prison, according to the Associated Press.
Chauvin was stabbed at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson, Arizona around 12:30 p.m. local time Friday.
The Bureau of Prisons said that an inmate was stabbed at the Arizona lockup but did not identify a victim. The agency said responding employees contained the incident and performed “life-saving measures” before the inmate was taken to a hospital for further treatment and evaluation, according to AP.
In a statement to CNN on Saturday the office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who prosecuted Chauvin, confirmed that it was the ex-cop.
“I am sad to hear that Derek Chauvin was the target of violence. He was duly convicted of his crimes and, like any incarcerated individual, he should be able to serve his sentence without fear of retaliation or violence,” Ellison said.
In May 2020, Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck and back for more than 9 minutes, ignoring his cries about being unable to breathe. Officers were responding to a report about Floyd allegedly using a counterfeit $20 at a local store.
The medical examiner’s autopsy report indicates that Floyd died as a result of “cardiopulmonary arrest” complicated by “restraint and neck compression.”
Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter in April 2021 in connection with Floyd’s death. He was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison. He later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison for violating Floyd’s civil rights.
The two sentences are being served concurrently.
Earlier this week the Supreme court rejected Chauvin’s request for a new trial. Chauvin’s attorneys argued that the jury was biased and certain rulings by the judge overseeing the trial deprived their client of his right to a fair trial under the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution.
