Former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, was a target of violence after being convicted of murdering George Floyd. He was stabbed by another inmate at a federal prison in Tucson, Arizona, according to a person familiar with the matter. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said that although Chauvin was duly convicted, he should be able to serve his sentence without fear of retaliation or violence.
The Bureau of Prisons stated that the inmate was “assaulted” at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson and was taken to a local hospital for further treatment and evaluation. Despite the incident, Chauvin is expected to survive, according to Ellison.
At 47 years old, Chauvin was moved to FCI Tucson from a maximum-security state prison in Minnesota to serve simultaneous federal and state sentences for violating Floyd’s civil rights and second-degree murder. This high-profile attack is the second at the Tucson federal prison in the last year, following a similar incident in July of disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar being stabbed by another inmate.
Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, previously advocated for keeping him out of general population to protect him from potential threats. The Supreme Court also recently rejected an appeal by Chauvin, leaving his conviction in place. The situation underscores the Bureau of Prisons’ inability to safeguard high-profile prisoners, following several other incidents in recent years.
Derek Chauvin’s actions led to a global wave of protests against police brutality and systemic racism, further underscoring the significance of this event.
