- Conservative talk show host Ben Shapiro is advocating for a federal pardon for Derek Chauvin. Shapiro argues George Floyd died from a pre-existing condition and plans to release programming detailing his views on the case.
- Chauvin, a former officer with the Minneapolis Police Department, is serving a 22-year sentence for Floyd’s murder. His death led to worldwide protests.
- Trump has stated he is not considering a pardon, despite Shapiro’s campaign and Elon Musk’s support on social media.
Full Story
Conservative talk show host Ben Shapiro has called on President Donald Trump to pardon Derek Chauvin for federal crimes related to George Floyd’s death. Chauvin, a white former officer with the Minneapolis Police Department, is currently serving a 22-year sentence for the murder of Floyd, a Black man.
Floyd died after a store clerk called the police, accusing him of using a counterfeit $20 bill. Video of the arrest shows Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes while Floyd repeatedly says he can’t breathe. Floyd later died at a hospital.
Point phone camera here
Floyd’s death sparked worldwide protests. Within days, calls to defund or abolish the police became widespread. The protests caused more than $1 billion in losses to the insurance industry. It marked the first civil disorder to reach that amount.
On his podcast, Shapiro argued Floyd died from a pre-existing heart condition and encouraged viewers to sign a petition urging Trump to consider a federal pardon.
Elon Musk responded to Shapiro’s plea on X, posting, “Something to think about.”
However, Trump told reporters he’s not considering a pardon, saying, “I don’t know anything about it.”
Despite Trump’s comment, Shapiro plans to release programming on March 18 that he says will expose the truth about the Chauvin case.
In December, a judge granted Chauvin’s lawyers permission to have samples from Floyd examined to test a theory that Floyd died of a heart condition aggravated by a rare tumor, not asphyxiation.
Chauvin was convicted on state murder charges in 2021 and later pleaded guilty in federal court to violating Floyd’s civil rights. He is serving his state and federal sentences concurrently. A federal pardon would not overturn his state conviction.
[ANCHOR]
CONSERVATIVE TALK SHOW HOST BEN SHAPIRO SAYS PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SHOULD PARDON FORMER MINNEAPOLIS POLICE OFFICER DEREK CHAUVIN
FOR FEDERAL CRIMES RELATED TO THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD.
[TAKE VO]
CHAUVIN IS CURRENTLY SERVING A 22- YEAR SENTENCE FOR THE MURDER OF FLOYD — WHO DIED DURING A TRAFFIC STOP IN MINNEAPOLIS.
DURING THE ARREST, VIDEO FOOTAGE SHOWS FLOYD STRUGGLING TO BREATH BENEATH CHAUVIN’S KNEE.
[TAKE VO]
FLOYD’S DEATH SPARKED PROTESTS AROUND THE WORLD.
WITHIN DAYS — CALLS TO DEFUND OR ABOLISH THE POLICE BECAME WIDESPREAD.
THE PROTESTS AND RIOTS BECAME THE FIRST CIVIL DISORDER TO EXCEED ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN LOSSES TO THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY.
[TAKE VO]
ON HIS PODCAST, SHAPIRO ARGUED FLOYD DIED FROM A PRE–EXSITING HEART CONDITION
AND ASKED VIEWERS TO SIGN A PETITION ASKING TRUMP TO CONSIDER A FEDERAL PARDON.
[TAKE SOT]
((2:08 there is a man who is rotting in prison because the media decided in the middle of 2020))
[TAKE VO]
ELON MUSK RESPONDED. ONX POSTING … “SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT”.
[TAKE VO]
HOWEVER, PRESIDENT TRUMP TOLD REPORTERS HE’S NOT CONSIDERING IT.
[TAKE SOT]
[TAKE VO]
DESPITE TRUMP’S COMMENT, SHAPIRO PLANS TO RELEASE ON MARCH 18TH —
PROGRAMMING HE SAYS EXPOSES THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CHAUVIN CASE.
[TAKE VO]
IN DECEMBER, A JUDGE GRANTED LAWYERS FOR CHAUVIN PERMISSION TO HAVE SAMPLES FROM GEORGE FLOYD EXAMINED —
TO TEST A THEORY THAT FLOYD DIED OF A HEART CONDITION AGGRAVATED BY A RARE TUMOR, NOT ASPHYXIATION.
[ANCHOR]
CHAUVIN WAS CONVICTED ON MURDER CHARGES IN STATE COURT IN 2021 —
AND PLEADED GUILTY LATER THAT YEAR IN FEDERAL COURT TO VIOLATING FLOYD’S CIVIL RIGHTS.
HE IS SERVING HIS STATE AND FEDERAL SENTENCES CONCURRENTLY.
A FEDERAL PARDON WOULD NOT DROP HIS STATE CONVICTION.
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