Derek Chauvin leading lonely 'dismal' life behind bars after George Floyd murder conviction: report

[brooklynite]

Raw Story

According to a report from TMZ, Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who is currently serving 22 and a half years in prison for kneeling on the neck of George Floyd which led to Floyd's death, is living a lonely existence while serving his time in an enhanced security cell.

Chauvin, whose trial and conviction became the focus of the country after years of white police officers walking away after killing innocent Black suspects, is currently being held inside the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights while awaiting trial on federal charges.

...snip...

The former police officer has been locked up for eight months since his conviction, with TMZ now reporting, "He's got surveillance cameras on his every move, and the prison staff checks on him every 30 mins."

According to the report, a contact within the facility explained that "Chauvin remains isolated, without job opportunities, educational programs or contact with other inmates. Not only that ... he showers, eats, goes to the bathroom and sleeps all in the same cell. We're told he gets about an hour each day outside his cell for exercise."

[Sneederbunk]

1. Contrasted to other prisoners who

are quite upbeat and enjoying the stay.

[PCIntern]

2. Gee, how's Mr Floyd doing this New Year's Day??

Oh right…he’s DEAD.

On Mr Lonely’s whim. I guess the smirk is gone from shithead’s face while he hopelessly counts the days…

[LenaBaby61]

34. THIS 👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻

[malaise]

43. End of story

Happy New Year!

[PCIntern]

45. And to you malaise!!

[ColinC]

3. Unfortunately the circumstances he is now fated

Are likely similar to the circumstances that made him a sociopathic bully and killer.

[Hekate]

21. Fortunately, he won't be murdering any more people on a whim

His condition cannot be “cured,” with kindness or otherwise. All society can do is stop him, remove him, away from his ability to harm others.

I will never forget the look on his face while he killed.

[MyOwnPeace]

22. "I will never forget the look on his face while he killed."

THAT is the picture everybody should see anytime they talk about pity, leniency, parole, pardon, or any other idea that the murderer deserves anything less than what he got!

[ColinC]

26. I have no sympathy for him.

But if we want these kinds of things to change in the long term (ie needless murders by law enforcement), we need to start looking at law enforcement and corrections in a compassionate way. Believing that law breakers deserve to be treated with cruelty is what lost the life of a good man in the first place.

[alphafemale]

52. The look on his face was

There is nothing you can do to stop me.

Taunting.

And he stayed on Mr Floyd until he was not only dead but dead past the point where he could be medically revived.

Brain dead.

[John Ludi]

4. At least no one

is kneeling on his neck until he dies. There is that.

[LenaBaby61]

36. REALLY THIS 👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻

[yardwork]

69. Yes.

[mucifer]

5. I'm thinking he's befriended some prison guards

[niyad]

6. Are we supposed to feel sorry for this unrepentant, cold-blooded murderer?

[brooklynite]

13. No, but it would be nice to be consistent on one's policy on prison conditions...

Plenty of folks here complain about the unfairness of prison isolation and its psychological impacts on inmates. They should apply the same principles to every prisoner, regardless of the crime.

[niyad]

16. Thank you. I was thinking about how the article, or at least the quoted paragraphs,

made it seem that he was somehow unique in this.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

23. I disapprove of these prison conditions ... I don't think they should be applied 'punitively'

However, it may be that these conditions (or ones close to them) are required for someone like Chauvin ... basically this situation is applied to keep a white ex-cop who's in jail for killing a black person ... safe, not to punish him directly.

I would bet if you asked him if he wanted to go to Gen Pop, he'd be like 'yah, no thanks'.

Sucky as it probably is, he probably considers it something of a privilege.

So there's that.

[LenaBaby61]

37. THIS 👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻

[pazzyanne]

63. + 1 nt

[Ocelot II]

7. This is why he has pled guilty to federal civil rights violations,

as a result of which he will be moved to a federal prison, which will suck somewhat less even though he'll have a longer sentence.

[brooklynite]

38. Why do you assume Feds will get priority in sentencing?

[Ocelot II]

39. Because they're the feds.

[brooklynite]

49. That might apply to trial...

Once he’s in prison, there’s no logical reason to move him until his State sentence is over.

[Ocelot II]

50. In this case it was part of his plea deal.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/derek-chauvin-federal-prison-means-hell-time/story?id=81845835

[monkeyman1]

57. hope a - x prez is next !

[Ocelot II]

58. I'd rather see TFG in a state prison than a federal one,

though either one would do.

[monkeyman1]

60. you right ! thank ya! had a mid -day brain fart !!

[Blue Owl]

8. Good.

Serves that fucker right.

[LonePirate]

9. As they say, don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

[Beakybird]

10. So he's not exactly the lifer of the party.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

11. .

[The Unmitigated Gall]

12. Well, for the nine minutes and 45 seconds

You spent kneeling on George Floyd’s neck, this was the life choice you were making, Derek.

[Aristus]

14. Prison isn't supposed to be dismal?

Was he expecting a cheese platter and a nice dry Chardonnay?

[ColinC]

15. I don't think it should

It should be about repairing the psyches that got people there in the first place. Not reinforcing it.

[Hekate]

48. Sociopathy cannot be cured. Most don't murder, but those who do need to be removed from society.

The ranks of CEOs and politicians are filled with an inordinate number of sociopaths, from what I’ve read. If they break the rules — they’re not sorry at all. It’s all just a game.

You may, if you choose, work to improve the prison system overall. Get rid of for-profit prisons, which are unaccountable to anyone but their shareholders, afaict. Public prisons, otoh, are ultimately accountable to us.

Engage in prison ministry or education, if you choose, but be aware that it is dangerous work.

Or you can just pray for his tiny shriveled soul.

Just don’t kid yourself that his psyche can be repaired.

[ColinC]

51. We know pretty soundly that trauma likely worsens behaviour

Not improves it. This person is likely going to be out of prison eventually. Putting him in a more traumatic situation for decades isn't going to help society in any way when he gets out.

[Hekate]

54. You could make inquiries about whether he has access to books & other forms of self-improvement

…and entertainment. Paper and pencil. Books were traditionally available to prisoners.

As for his isolation, that’s for his own safety. There’s two ways to go in the general prison population: one is for him to get killed pretty fast by fellow prisoners who hate cops like him, and the other is for him to join a gang of like-minded white nationalists — some of whom will leave prison someday.

[ColinC]

56. The UN considers such treatment as torture.

Which is essentially what solitary confinement is. Being cruel to cruel people really doesn't make us any better than those people. It makes us a sick society addicted to cruelty.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/theconversation.com/amp/solitary-confinement-by-any-other-name-is-still-torture-149670

[Progressive Jones]

17. Could one of the reasons for being in "solitary" have something to do with him being

an ex-cop? I know that some States have laws that give ex-law enforcement extra protection in prison.
Personally, I believe that they belong in the general population, like the rest of the prisoners.

[old as dirt]

18. How Long Is 8:46 In Classical Music?

[BlueTsunami2018]

19. Just put him in gen pop.

It won’t be a bother for long.

[marie999]

66. If they did put him in general population, it could cause a lot of trouble.

I am sure there are plenty of White supremacists who would protect him. It's not like he was a pedophile.

[bedazzled]

20. Gosh i feel so bad for him

So what's for dinner? Stouffers lasagna. Garlic bread. Asparagus.

Life's good! Full of gratitude.

[Walleye]

24. Sounds good. I'm going with Stouffer's Swedish meatballs tonight

[bedazzled]

27. Extravagant!

We only have such fine fare on holidays!

Enjoy!

Wonder what old george is having? SOS maybe. My husband's least favorite from the military

[Hugh_Lebowski]

29. Stouffers Lasagna is no joke

Love that stuff.

In particular the 'Meat Lovers' version, which adds Italian Sausage, and has a slightly richer sauce (or at least it seems so). But the regular one is damn good too.

Not a ton of frozen food I really like, but that stuff is legit!

You know, I bet Chauvin would KILL for a Stouffers Lasagna right now ...

[bedazzled]

31. It is luxurious in a time when going to restaurants is out

As for chauvin, i hope he never enjoys another day in his life.

[Midnight Writer]

25. What's the point of this story? Why was it published?

Do we get this kind of reporting on the other inmates in custody?

Since it is TMZ reporting, I guess Chauvin has entered celebrity status. Are people actually wanting news about this guy?

[bedazzled]

32. Hate to say it

But glad to hear he is not happy. Wish i was a better person.

[wellst0nev0ter]

28. Isn't this solitary confinement?

Just one hour out of his cell each day...

If he was having problems before, this makes it much worse.

Hate to be a bleeding heart for a killer cop, but there has to be a better way.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

35. Yeah, also not a fan of long term solitary (for anyone), suspect it's prison budget related ...

Can only have so many different levels of supervision/isolation without it getting really costly to build and staff ... is my guess.

[Goonch]

30. ;-{)🖖‍

[LenaBaby61]

40. THIS 👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻

[mcar]

33. OK

[LenaBaby61]

42. AGREE ....

[Takket]

41. "murderer not enjoying consequences for his actions"

[Chainfire]

44. Aw, someone should give him a bottle

[liberaltrucker]

46. Now, where did I put that violin? Oh, here it is:

[NQAS]

53. On the plus side...

No one is putting their knee on his neck until he dies.

[Vinca]

55. Well, he's getting to live more of a life than George Floyd. Just 22 years? Should be more.

[Ocelot II]

59. It will be 24 years in a federal prison.

That was part of his recent plea deal on the federal civil rights charge. Floyd's family was ok with it because he gets more time, even if in a marginally less miserable place.

[Demobrat]

61. What's the alternative?

Put him in the general population and let him take his chances?

[Chuuku Davis]

62. Well bless his heart

[Demsrule86]

64. George Floyd doesn't have any sort of life thanks to this scumbag murderer so I don't really care.

[AZLD4Candidate]

65. There aren't enough onions or horseradish in the world to make me shed on tear for him

[patphil]

67. Now he has plenty of time to stop and smell the prison food.

Also plenty of time to reflect on the consequence of his actions.
He destroyed several lives with his callous disregard for human life, including his own.

[Silent3]

68. ALL inmates should be carefully protected against abuse by fellow inmates

Chauvin might be dismal and lonely, but as far as I'm concerned, this is special treatment he's getting, not hardship.

One of the most egregious things about the US prison system is the wind-and-a-nod cruel and unusual punishment that is permitted (even encouraged, I think sometimes) of making prison not just about serving time and losing freedom, but random brutalization, wherein the most brutal inmates suffer the least brutality.