George Floyd Death: Derek Chauvin's New Mug Shot Released at Maximum-Security Prison

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's new mug shot has been released. Chauvin, who is [...]

By Allison Schonter

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's new mug shot has been released. Chauvin, who is charged in the murder of George Floyd, was transferred to the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights near the city of Stillwater Sunday afternoon, with TMZ reporting that it is protocol for inmates to get a new mug shot when they are transferred to a different facility. His first mug shot was released Saturday, just a day after he was taken into police custody.

Since his arrest on Friday, Chauvin has moved from facility to facility. He was first booked into the Ramsey County Jail on one count of third degree murder and one count of manslaughter, though he was later moved to the Hennepin County Jail on Sunday due to protests occurring in Minneapolis and across the country. According to DOC Commissioner Paul Schnell, Chauvin's transfer to the new facility, which is the highest custody level in Minnesota's system, is not uncommon given the circumstances and was requested by the Hennepin County Sheriff, as Chauvin needs a higher level of security.

Chauvin was one of four police officers involved in the May 25 death of Floyd, the unarmed black man who was taken into police custody on suspicion of possessing a counterfeit $20 bill. In video that sparked international outrage, Chauvin, a 19-year MPD veteran, could be seen kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, nearly three minutes of which Floyd was unconscious, as Floyd told officers, "I can't breathe," a phrase that has become a rallying cry among demonstrators.

While Chauvin is behind bars and faces up to 25 years in prison, the three other officers – Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao – have yet to face any charges. In video from the incident, Lane could be seen holding down Floyd's legs while Kueng held his back. Thao, meanwhile, stood guard as the incident occurred, never intervening to assist Floyd.

The lack of accountability coupled with this marking just another incident of a black man dying at the hands of a white police officer has sparked global protests against systemic racism and police brutality. Over the weekend, demonstrators gathered across the country in protest, with protests in Washington D.C. prompting the Secret Service to rush President Donald Trump to a White House bunker. Several governors have also called in the National Guard to assist in controlling crowds and a number of cities have implemented curfews.

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