President Joe Biden says he believes the prison sentence former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin received for the death of George Floyd “seems to be appropriate.”
During his meeting with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Friday, a reporter asked Biden for his reaction to the sentence.
“I don’t know all of the circumstances that are considered, but it seems to me, under the guidelines, that seems to be appropriate,” Biden said.
Watch his comments below:
Reporter: Do you have any reaction to Derek Chauvin being sentenced to 22.5 years in prison?
— NBC News (@NBCNews) June 25, 2021
President Biden: "I don't know all of the circumstances that are considered, but it seems to me, under the guidelines, that seems to be appropriate." pic.twitter.com/LZkqpSqOHM
A judge sentenced Chauvin to 22.5 years in prison on Friday for the May 2020 death of George Floyd. The sentencing comes more than two months after a jury convicted Chauvin of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree “depraved mind” murder, and second-degree manslaughter charges.
He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Floyd became unconscious after Chauvin knelt on his neck for several minutes in May 2020. He later died on the same day.
While delivering remarks, Biden shared his reaction to the verdict.
“This can be a moment of significant change,” Biden said.
He continued, “We can and we must do more to reduce the likelihood that tragedies like this will ever happen and occur again — to ensure that Black and brown people or anyone, so they don’t fear the interactions with law enforcement, that they don’t have to wake up knowing that they can lose their very life in the course of just living their life.”
The president, at the time, discouraged demonstrators from protesting violently.
“This is the time for this country to come together, to unite as Americans. There can never be any safe harbor for hate in America,” Biden added.
Protests broke out following the death of Floyd. Protesters not only sought justice for Floyd but other reforms, including defunding of the police and reallocating funding for law enforcement to mental health, social services, and other resources, as The Washington Post reports.