Wife Of Police Officer Charged With George Floyd Murder Files For Divorce
Kellie Chauvin, wife of the former police officer charged with murdering George Floyd, has filed for divorce.
Kellie’s decision comes after her husband, Derek Chauvin, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter yesterday, May 29.
Earlier this week, Chauvin was filmed kneeling on Floyd’s neck during an arrest which took place in Minneapolis. Floyd complained that he couldn’t breathe, and that ‘everything hurt’, but despite the protests coming from both himself and onlookers Chauvin did not stop.
Floyd, who was unarmed and handcuffed, eventually lost consciousness and was later pronounced dead. Protests broke out across the city as residents called for justice for Floyd’s death, and the four officers involved in the arrest were fired from the police department.
Derek Chauvin was the only officer charged following George Floyd’s death, and Kellie’s lawyer announced her decision to file for divorce last night, Insider reports.
The lawyer described Kellie as ‘devastated’ with the death of Floyd, adding her ‘utmost sympathy lies with his family, his loved ones and with everyone who is grieving this tragedy’.
They said:
This evening, I spoke with Kellie Chauvin and her family… She has filed for dissolution of her marriage to Derek Chauvin.
While Ms. Chauvin has no children from her current marriage, she respectfully requests that her children, her elder parents, and her extended family be given safety and privacy during this difficult time.
a year agoFloyd’s death has been investigated by the FBI, and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said the decision to charge him came after a ‘major development’ in the case.
Freeman went on to say his team would prosecute the case ‘very carefully’, saying that while there is footage clearly showing Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck, they still faced ‘a difficult burden of proof’.
After the charges were announced, Floyd’s family issued a statement through their lawyer calling for the other three officers to be arrested and held responsible alongside Chauvin, NBC reports. They also called for Chauvin to be charged with first-degree murder, rather than third-degree.
The former police officer has been involved in three past shootings and has 18 prior complaints against him.
Though Minneapolis police has not revealed the exact nature of the complaints made against Chauvin, a spokesperson said only two of the 18 had been ‘closed with discipline’, indicating that in both cases the ‘discipline issued’ had been a letter of reprimand.
It is unclear how long Derek and Kellie Chauvin have been married, or how the former police officer reacted to the news of the divorce.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact Stop Hate UK by visiting their website www.stophateuk.org/talk.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.
Topics: News, Arrest, Derek Chauvin, George Floyd, Minneapolis, Now, Police, Protest, Racism, Riots
