Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was recorded with his knee in George Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd pleaded for help, could still receive more than $1 million in pension benefits...even if he is convicted in Floyd’s death.
According to CNN, Minnesota does not have a state law that calls for the forfeiture of pensions for employees convicted of felony crimes related to their work. As such, Chauvin, who is currently 44, is eligible to file for pension—partially funded by taxpayers—in the next few years, as early as age 50.
“Neither our board nor our staff have the discretion to increase, decrease, deny or revoke benefits,” a spokesperson for the Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association told CNN. “Any changes to current law would need to be done through the legislative process.”
The association declined to confirm how much Chauvin is eligible for, but CNN says that the former officer is likely eligible for annual payments of around $50,000 a year or more if he opts to collect the pension starting at age 55. Chauvin could collect up to $1.5 million or more over a 30-year period, the network estimated.
Chauvin is facing charges of second-degree murder in Floyd’s death. The three other officers who were present at the time, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane, are facing charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
Lane was released on $750,000 bail and freed from Hennepin County Jail earlier this week, KARE11 reports. Chauvin was recently transferred to the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Oak Park Heights, where, according to the report, many inmates “need a higher level of security.”