Reaction pours in after Chauvin’s mom gives emotional speech — without mention of Floyd
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Reaction on social media poured in as Derek Chauvin’s mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, spoke before the court for the first time as her son awaited sentencing following his murder conviction.
Chauvin was sentenced to 270 months in prison — 22.5 years — with 199 days already served.
Pawlenty was called by the defense to speak after the state presented victim impact statements from the family of George Floyd. Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering Floyd, was found guilty in April of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Pawlenty said she believes in her son’s “innocence” and urged leniency at his sentencing, saying that he is a “good man.”
“Derek, I want you to know I’ve always believed in your innocence,” she continued. “And I will never waver from that.”
Reactions poured in about Pawlenty’s statement, pointing out that she didn’t mention Floyd in her speech.
I bet that’s exactly what George family was thinking when he died and she can do all the things that George Floyd’s family will NEVER be able to do. https://t.co/bdxs48BLUE
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) June 25, 2021
Derek Chauvin’s mom reminded her son in court, there’s no stronger bond than a mother’s bond…. Which only reminded me, that’s why #GeorgeFloyd cried for his mommy as Chauvin murdered him. #ChauvinSentencing
— kendis (@kendisgibson) June 25, 2021
Yeah, you love your son but I missed the show of empathy for George Floyd's family?
— Nadine White (@Nadine_Writes) June 25, 2021
I feel bad for the mom because mom’s have blind unconditional love for their children. But did she even mention the man her son murdered ? Did I miss that?
— Aaron J. Fentress (@AaronJFentress) June 25, 2021
Derek Chauvin’s mom is speaking. I feel her grief. She’s a mom. Derek is her baby. Her baby killed a handcuffed man in front of the world.
— RealTimBlack (@RealTimBlack) June 25, 2021
Derek Chauvins mom really made that long speech about a parents love but did not acknowledge the George Floyd’s family at all...
— Mimi (@dopelike_mimi) June 25, 2021
does Derek Chauvin's mom realize her son is still alive and she can still see him and touch him?
cause implying anything else is a slap in the face to George Floyd's family who will never see theirs again.— cory (@cmjseeger) June 25, 2021
Understand Chauvin’s
Mom Not Wanting Her Son 2 Be Gone,But GEORGE FLOYD’S MOM WILL “NEVER” SEE HER SON AGAIN.Chauvin’s Lawyer Said”If Only He Hadn’t Gone 2 Work That Day,Answered That call.”
I SAY”IF ONLY HE HADNT PUT HIS WEIGHT ON GEORGE’S NECK FOR 9 MINS.HE HAD 9 MINS
2 STOP— Cher (@cher) June 25, 2021
Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died while in police custody on May 25, 2020, and his death sparked an avalanche of protests across the nation. He died after Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes as three other officers did not intervene.
Floyd’s brother, Terrence Floyd, delivered an emotional statement at the sentencing hearing, asking Chauvin why he didn’t lift his knee from his brother’s neck.
“Over this last year and months, I actually talked to a few people and I wanted to know from the man himself ‘Why?’ What were you thinking? What was going through your head when you had your knee on my brother’s neck?” Terrence Floyd said to Chauvin. “When you knew that he posed no threat anymore, he was handcuffed, why didn’t you at least get up?”
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