Minnesota Republicans Hold 10-Second Silence for Derek Chauvin
Minnesota Republicans held a moment of silence for derek chauvin at their annual convention in Duluth on Saturday, pausing for about 10 seconds before the start of official business. Keith Ellison, Minnesota's attorney general and lead prosecutor in the case, called the gesture an act of profound cruelty.
The silence came on the second morning of the two-day gathering, days after the anniversary of George Floyd's killing. Chauvin was convicted of murdering Floyd after kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes in Minneapolis on 25 May 2020.
Ellison's response
Ellison said the moment of silence was “disrespectful” to Minnesota's law enforcement personnel. He also said, “This decision dishonors the memory of George Floyd and wounds his loved ones all over again,” and added, “To honor the man convicted of murdering George Floyd – days after the very anniversary of that terrible day – is an act of profound cruelty to the Floyd family and to every Minnesotan who believes in accountability under law.”
He said, “To honor a man who disgraced his oath to uphold the law and his badge is disturbing,” and, “To honor a man who damaged the reputation of the brave men and women who protect our communities night and day is disrespectful.” Ellison added: “George Floyd’s children lost their father. His siblings lost their brother. His community lost a neighbor and friend. That loss is permanent and irreparable.”
Chauvin case history
Chauvin received a 22-and-a-half-year prison term in 2021 for second-degree murder of Floyd and a separate concurrent 21-year sentence in 2022 for violating Floyd's civil rights. The US supreme court denied his appeal against the conviction in 2023, and state courts have repeatedly declined to grant him a new trial.
He was moved to a low-security facility in Texas in August 2024 after surviving a stabbing in prison in Arizona nine months earlier. For Minnesota Republicans, the convention silence put Chauvin's name back at the center of a case that remains tied to Floyd's death, the appeal rulings, and Ellison's role as the lead prosecutor.
