On April 20, 2021, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd and sentenced to 22-and-a-half years in prison. KSTP-TV reported Tuesday that Gov. Tim Walz and the Minnesota National Guard had been briefed on preparation for "mostly peaceful protests" if President Donald Trump were to pardon Chauvin.
Multiple sources told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that Gov. Tim Walz, the Minnesota National Guard, Mayor Jacob Frey and Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt have all been briefed on preparations for possible civil unrest if President Donald Trump pardons former ... https://t.co/sc23ZdVJzq
— KSTP (@KSTP) May 14, 2025
Jay Kolls reports for KSTP:
Multiple sources told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that Gov. Tim Walz, the Minnesota National Guard, Mayor Jacob Frey and Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt have all been briefed on preparations for possible civil unrest if President Donald Trump pardons former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin for his federal conviction of killing George Floyd.
When asked by White House reporters in March about pardoning Chauvin, President Trump replied, “No, I have not heard about that.”
Sources also told KSTP the Minnesota Department of Corrections is ready to pick up Chauvin at a federal penitentiary, and bring him back to Oak Park Heights Prison in Minnesota to serve the remainder of his 22-and-a-half-year sentence. He’s currently in a federal prison in Texas.
Over the weekend, Attorney General Ellison told MSNBC that Chauvin will not be set free.
“He still owes Minnesota 22-and-a-half years. And, he’s going to do it either in Minnesota or somewhere, but he’s not getting out,” said Ellison.
Then, on Monday, when asked about the possibility of a pardon, Gov. Walz told reporters, “No indication whether they’re going to do it, or not, but I think it behooves us to be prepared for it. With this presidency, it seems like something they would do.”
President Trump said he hadn't heard about pardoning Chauvin, Walz told reporters there was no indication he was going to be pardoned, but he thought it best they be prepared for it. Does that mean his wife, Gwen, is going to open the windows so she can smell the smoke from Minneapolis burning down again? “I could smell the burning tires … I kept the windows open as long as I could because I felt like that was such a touchstone of what was happening," she told a reporter.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene posted the headline and said that she supported a pardon for Chauvin.
I strongly support Derek Chauvin being pardoned and released from prison.
— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) May 14, 2025
George Floyd died of a drug overdose. pic.twitter.com/z7a6DqQ2vh
Correct, Chauvin is a political prisoner.
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) May 14, 2025
Derek Chauvin did NOT get a fair trial.
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) May 14, 2025
He was a sacrifice to the BLM Gods.
He’s not the only one.
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) May 14, 2025
Everyone is obviously focused on Derek Chauvin, but let’s not forget about the most egregious miscarriage of justice in all of this.
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) May 14, 2025
Officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane should also be pardoned. pic.twitter.com/Q9ZukNHzX7
Indeed, they needed a human sacrifice. pic.twitter.com/6lk9Ayv4nM
— TransOdius (@TransOdius) May 14, 2025
This is a controversial take, but many believe the trial was heavily influenced by public opinion and media pressure
— Cool Christian Engineer 💡 (@imcoolchristian) May 14, 2025
Derek Chauvin is an innocent white cop that they chose to sacrifice because he was white and they wanted to rally black voters to get rid of Donald Trump and turn the country into a Marxist hell hole.
— Philip Anderson (@VoteHarrisOut) May 14, 2025
I don’t give a damn if it hurts the feelings of some dishonest black people.…
Some say Walz is getting way ahead of himself, and even if Trump were to pardon him, he'd still serve time in a state prison.
George Floyd did die from a fentanyl overdose. If they pardon Derek Chauvin, get ready for summer of love 2.0.
— Sassafrass84 (@Sassafrass_84) May 14, 2025
This time, bring the water canons. Arrest anybody who wants to riot. pic.twitter.com/UtUxSEUCuO
Chauvin got 20 years in prison, and George Floyd got statues of himself erected at the time is was the hot thing to tear down statues.
Again, Trump hasn't said anything about it, so we're not sure what the reported briefing was for.
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