Derek Chauvin, Convicted in George Floyd Case, Stabbed in Prison
Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted in the murder of George Floyd, was seriously injured after being stabbed by another inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson, Arizona, according to a source familiar with the situation. The source, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity due to not being authorized to discuss the incident publicly, revealed the details of the attack which occurred in the medium-security facility.
The Bureau of Prisons confirmed the assault of an inmate, which took place around 12:30 p.m. local time on Friday, without naming Chauvin specifically. Staff members reportedly performed life-saving measures before the inmate was transported to a hospital for further treatment. No staff members were injured in the incident, and the FBI has been notified. The prison, housing about 380 inmates, has temporarily suspended visitations.
Legal representatives for Chauvin and the FBI have not yet commented on the matter.
This attack on Chauvin is the latest high-profile incident in federal prisons, following the stabbing of Larry Nassar in July at a Florida penitentiary. It also marks the second major disturbance at the Tucson facility in just over a year, following a November 2022 incident where an inmate attempted to shoot a visitor.
Chauvin, 47, was transferred to FCI Tucson in August 2022 to serve a 21-year federal sentence for violating Floyd’s civil rights, concurrently with a 22½-year state sentence for second-degree murder. Concerns about Chauvin's safety in the general prison population had been previously raised by his lawyer, Eric Nelson, due to his high-profile case. In Minnesota, Chauvin was mostly held in solitary confinement for his protection.
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined Chauvin's appeal of his murder conviction. He is also attempting to overturn his federal guilty plea, alleging new evidence that he didn't cause Floyd's death.
Floyd's death on May 25, 2020, captured in a harrowing bystander video showing Chauvin kneeling on his neck for over 9 minutes, sparked worldwide protests and a national reckoning on police brutality and racism. Three other former officers involved in the incident have received lesser state and federal sentences.
This stabbing incident underscores ongoing concerns about the safety and management of federal prisons. The Bureau of Prisons has faced scrutiny, particularly following Jeffrey Epstein's jail suicide in 2019 and the recent stabbing of Nassar. An AP investigation has highlighted significant issues within the Bureau, including sexual misconduct, staff shortages, and a failure to safeguard high-profile inmates. Despite efforts by Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters to reform and improve transparency, challenges remain, as highlighted in recent congressional hearings.
