Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd's killing, was released from prison Wednesday on a $1 million conditional bond.
Chauvin was fired from the force and later charged with second-degree murder after he kneeled on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes. He was held in a state prison, but posted a non-cash $1 million bond to be released with conditions Wednesday, CBS Minnesota reports.
Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd's killing; prosecution records also showed Chauvin had several excessive force incidents before this one. Chauvin's bail was set at $1.25 million, but he could be released for $1 million if he agreed not to contact Floyd's family or work in law enforcement or security again. His lawyers have pointed to Floyd's "significant conditions" like heart disease and a bout with COVID-19, as well as fentanyl and methamphetamine in his body to explain his death, which the county medical examiner has disputed. Chauvin been held in the Oak Park Heights state prison for the past few months as he awaited his trial for Floyd's murder, which will begin in March.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Kueng, the other officers who helped Chauvin hold Floyd down or stood by as he did, were charged with aiding and abetting murder.
-
'The question is what it does for the ecosystem'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
August 26 editorial cartoonsCartoons Tuesday’s political cartoons include a simple guide to gerrymandering, a MAGA-approved Cracker Barrel logo, and an FBI raid at John Bolton's house
-
Four royal holiday hotspotsThe Week Recommends Follow in the footsteps of royalty and experience the charm of some of their most popular getaways
-
Australian woman found guilty of mushroom murdersspeed read Erin Patterson murdered three of her ex-husband's relatives by serving them toxic death cap mushrooms
-
Combs convicted on 2 of 5 charges, denied bailSpeed Read Sean 'Diddy' Combs was acquitted of the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking
-
Sniper kills 2 Idaho firefighters in ambushSpeed Read A man started a wildfire, then fired a rifle at first responders when they arrived
-
Weinstein convicted of sex crime in retrialSpeed Read The New York jury delivered a mixed and partial verdict at the disgraced Hollywood producer's retrial
-
'King of the Hill' actor shot dead outside homespeed read Jonathan Joss was fatally shot by a neighbor who was 'yelling violent homophobic slurs,' says his husband
-
DOJ, Boulder police outline attacker's confessionspeed read Mohamed Sabry Soliman planned the attack for a year and 'wanted them all to die'
-
Assailant burns Jewish pedestrians in Boulderspeed read Eight people from the Jewish group were hospitalized after a man threw Molotov cocktails in a 'targeted act of violence'
-
Driver rams van into crowd at Liverpool FC paradespeed read 27 people were hospitalized following the attack
