Minneapolis, MN

Can Trump pardon Derek Chauvin? Ben Shapiro pushes for ex-Minneapolis cop’s clemency

Published

10 months ago

March 4, 2025

Can Trump pardon Derek Chauvin? Ben Shapiro pushes for ex-Minneapolis cop’s clemency

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro is urging President Donald Trump to pardon Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted in the May 2020 death of George Floyd. Shapiro is launching a website, pardonderek.com, where people can sign a petition calling on the POTUS to pardon Chauvin for his federal charges.

Ben Shapiro is urging President Donald Trump to pardon former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.(X/ Ben Shapiro and AP)

“The evidence demonstrates that Derek Chauvin did not, in fact, commit the murder of George Floyd,” Shapiro said in a video shared on X. “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.”

“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.”

Shapiro added: “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.”

“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.”

In April 2021, a local jury in Minnesota found Chauvin guilty of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison. The following year, he received a 21-year sentence after pleading guilty to two federal civil rights violations. One was related to Floyd’s death while the other was tied to the 2017 arrest of a 14-year-old.

Can Trump pardon Derek Chauvin?

Legally, Trump has the authority to pardon Chauvin for his federal conviction, as the US Constitution grants presidents the power to issue pardons for federal offenses. However, Chauvin’s state conviction for second-degree murder in Minnesota is beyond Trump’s jurisdiction and would require action at the state level.

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Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis College teams up with Toys for Tots to provide holiday gifts for student parents

Published

6 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Minneapolis College teams up with Toys for Tots to provide holiday gifts for student parents

For many student parents at Minneapolis College, the holiday season arrives during one of the busiest and most stressful times of the year.

Final exams, work schedules and family responsibilities often collide in December. This week, a Toys for Tots giveaway on campus offered some relief.

The college partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program to provide gifts exclusively for student parents. School officials say more than 145 student parents signed up for the event, representing nearly 270 children.

Veronica Krawiec is a nursing student at Minneapolis College and the mother of a young son, Christopher. She said balancing school, work and parenting can be overwhelming, especially around the holidays.

Krawiec said she was able to find a Lego set her son specifically asked for this Christmas, something she was not sure she would be able to afford on her own.

She said the support she receives on campus has made a significant difference, pointing to resources like the Student Support Center and food pantry. Krawiec said those services help her focus on school without feeling ashamed for asking for help.

“As a mom most of the time I feel like I’m failing but like this this helps me a lot to not feel as bad,” she said.

Sharita Jackson, a first semester addiction counseling student and single mother of two, also attended the giveaway. She said resources like the Toys for Tots event help ease some of the pressure that comes with being a student parent.

Minneapolis College staff say the need among student parents has grown this year, in some cases doubling. The college estimates nearly 20% of its students are parents, and more than 70% of students identify as Indigenous or people of color, international, low income or first generation.

In addition to holiday giveaways, the college offers a Student Parent Center, a food pantry, basic needs support and access to housing, financial and veterans resources. Staff say those services are designed to help students stay enrolled and succeed while raising families.

College officials say events like the Toys for Tots giveaway help reduce stress during the holidays and allow student parents to focus on finishing the semester strong.

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Minneapolis, MN

ICE agents clash with dozens of residents in streets of South Minneapolis

Published

18 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

ICE agents clash with dozens of residents in streets of South Minneapolis

WCCO Staff

Updated on: December 15, 2025 / 2:53 PM CST
/ CBS Minnesota

A tense situation developed in South Minneapolis Monday afternoon, where dozens of residents confronted ICE agents operating in the streets near Lake Street and Pillsbury Avenue, not far from the Karmel Mall.

BREAKING: Dozens swarm @ICEgov agents operating in South Minneapolis. Officers now ordering people off the streets in increasingly volatile situation. @WCCO @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/zL1ASvvDx2
— Jonah Kaplan (@JonahPKaplan) December 15, 2025

WCCO reporter Esme Murphy was also on the scene and reported that chemical irritant had been deployed. Murphy and a WCCO photographer were among those who were hit with the irritant.

Murphy reported seeing at least three people in handcuffs, but it was not immediately clear for what reason they were being detained. The scene seemed to have cleared by 2:30 p.m.

Hennepin County Sheriff’s deputies were observed at the scene. Local law enforcement have been deployed to control crowds since the Department of Homeland Security launched Operation Metro Surge in recent weeks. One of the recent ICE operations in the metro area was a raid at a construction site in Chanhassen over the weekend.

The Karmel Mall is the nation’s first Somali shopping center. The enhanced ICE actions came just after President Trump said, “I don’t want [Somalis] in our country” and claimed Somalis are “completely taking over the once great State of Minnesota.”

Few other details were immediately available, but WCCO crews on the scene noted that many of those protesting against ICE were using whistles, which in many prior confrontations have been used to try to warn neighbors that ICE agents were in the vicinity.

This story is developing and will be updated.

Esme Murphy and

Jonah Kaplan

contributed to this report.

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Minneapolis, MN

World Junior Championships: Team USA arrives to Minnesota

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

World Junior Championships: Team USA arrives to Minnesota

The World Junior Championships are less than two weeks away, but Team USA starts training camp on Monday in Duluth. FOX 9 Sports Director Jim Rich caught up with Team USA coach Bob Motzko Sunday night in St. Paul as the Americans are looking for a three-peat.

Posted December 14, 2025 5:34pm CST

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