*If you haven’t been pissed off yet, today, hold on ’cause we’ve got news about Derek Chauvin (George Floyd‘s killer) that’ll make your head explode.
A new campaign urging President Donald Trump to pardon Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of killing George Floyd, has gained traction among conservative figures, notably Ben Shapiro of the Daily Wire.
Shapiro and his supporters argue that the evidence does not conclusively show that Chauvin’s actions directly caused Floyd’s death. Instead, they point to medical reports indicating that Floyd’s fentanyl use and pre-existing health conditions played significant roles. Shapiro emphasizes that the autopsy findings did not reveal life-threatening injuries that could be attributed to the restraint applied by Chauvin during the arrest.
On his podcast, Shapiro further articulated his stance by claiming that Floyd’s health issues and substance use were critical aspects of the case that were overlooked. He argued that Floyd was already struggling to breathe before he was restrained by police.
“George Floyd was high on fentanyl; he had a significant pre-existing heart condition. George Floyd was saying he could not breathe before he was even out of the car. He was in the car saying he could not breathe,” Shapiro stated, asserting that such factors contributed to the tragic outcome. He added this BS: “Derek Chauvin, for large segments of even the tape that was shown [at his trial], had his knee on George Floyd’s shoulder or back, not on his neck,” Shapiro continued. “The autopsy of George Floyd showed that he had no damage to his trachea, that probably George Floyd died of excited delirium. There were no accusations, even at trial, that Derek Chauvin had committed a hate crime against George Floyd or that he targeted George Floyd because of his race.”
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Something to think about https://t.co/KbZQEMpFXP
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 4, 2025
Shapiro has gone a step further by launching a dedicated website, PardonDerek.com, where supporters can sign a petition urging Trump to pardon Chauvin of his federal charges. While a presidential pardon would remove federal charges, it would not affect the state-level convictions that currently keep Chauvin incarcerated. As it stands, Chauvin is serving a 22.5-year sentence and has survived a prison stabbing since his conviction in 2021. His legal team has faced opposition from the Biden Justice Department, which has pushed back against efforts to re-examine the medical evidence presented during the trial in light of a potential appeal.
“I think it is worthwhile to remember that there is a man whose rotting in prison because the media decided in the middle of 2020 that they were going to turn a tragic law enforcement stop that ended with the death of a man that had a significant problem with drugs and pre-existing health problems into the raison d’être of the entire 2020 election,” Shapiro said. “It led to vast chaos. It led to, again, the destruction of racial comity in the United States, $2 billion in property damage, and a guy rotting in prison who the evidence demonstrates certainly was not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in that case.”
The push for Chauvin’s pardon has not gone unnoticed outside conservative circles. Even tech mogul Elon Musk has engaged with the topic on social media, retweeting discussions without making an outright endorsement. This aligns with the campaign’s positioning, as it seeks to peel back the layers of controversy surrounding the case and galvanize support among conservatives while remaining contentious among the broader public.
Critics of the campaign argue that it undermines the serious implications of police accountability and systemic racism that were highlighted following Floyd’s death. The social unrest that erupted in 2020 led to significant protests across the nation, demanding justice for Floyd and reforms in policing. Consequently, any attempts to exonerate Chauvin can reignite tensions related to policing and race relations, illustrating how multifaceted and polarizing the issue remains.
As Shapiro pointed out in his campaign rhetoric, the political and media landscape in the summer of 2020 transformed the narrative of Floyd’s death into a symbol of systemic injustice. He believes that Chauvin is suffering due to what he perceives as a politically motivated conviction that has broader implications for societal discourse on law enforcement. “It led to vast chaos. It led to the destruction of racial comity in the United States, and $2 billion in property damage,” Shapiro lamented.
In the eyes of Shapiro and his supporters, the campaign is about more than just seeking a pardon; it reflects a call to reassess the evidence and ultimately addresses broader issues regarding the American justice system. They contend that the conviction was not justified beyond a reasonable doubt, asserting that Chauvin’s actions were mischaracterized in a highly charged political environment.
The outcome of this campaign could have far-reaching consequences for both Chauvin and the public dialogue surrounding policing in America. Should Trump choose to grant the pardon, it may set a precedent for how similar high-profile cases are approached in the future. Conversely, if the campaign fails, it could reinforce existing sentiments regarding the justice system’s accountability.
As the nation continues to grapple with the aftermath of Floyd’s death and the implications of Chauvin’s conviction, the discourse surrounding this campaign illustrates the complexities of justice, race, and law enforcement in contemporary society. The discussions sparked by this movement highlight the polarized views regarding accountability and the ongoing debate over how to handle the legacy of systemic racism in policing. With societal tensions still high, the campaign to pardon Derek Chauvin will likely remain a focal point of discussion in the ongoing narrative of race relations and police reform in America.
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