Former Philly Public Defender Says Derek Chauvin Sentence 'Will Depend On What Judge Feels Will Deter Others From Committing Such Acts'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The American Civil Liberties Union is calling Derek Chauvin's conviction a step forward in the fight for police accountability. Chauvin was found guilty on all three counts in the murder of George Floyd last May.
CBS3 reached out to a local lawyer to get some insight into the case. Keir Bradford-Grey is the former chief public defender in Philadelphia and now practices law in the private sector in Montgomery County with McCracken, Walker, and Rhodes.
"My immediate reaction was finally, finally the symbolic pressure of systemic racism within the police department is becoming dismantled," Bradford-Grey said. "However, this is a situation that is really not analogist to many situations we see, so I do hope that we don't just take this moment and think this will apply to many situations that we put into work that needs to be done to really get police departments to change the way they handle and deal with people in our communities."
The video of George Floyd's death was played over and over again during the trial, clearly making an impact on the jury. Chauvin's bail was immediately revoked during the verdict.
The maximum penalty he will face is 40 years but with sentencing guidelines, he could face far less time. Bradford-Grey explains the factors the judge might consider when deciding the penalty.
"The judge has to look at more of the legal premise of why he was found guilty," Bradford-Grey said. "He's also going to look at his background. This will be something that Chauvin might have a hard time with as well because from what we understand he has had many run-ins with people where he had been complained of many times and the Minneapolis Police Department failed to act. So this could be a situation where Chauvin's past could truly haunt him in sentencing. We know that sentence something up to the judge and judge alone. It will really depend on what the judge feels that Chauvin needs to deter him and others from committing such acts."
Bradford-Grey also mentions he anticipates Chauvin's defense team will appeal the guilty verdict considering he is facing a 40 years maximum sentence.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW.