Minneapolis, MN

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

Published

1 year 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

San Antonio visits Minnesota with 2-1 series lead – WTOP News

Published

7 hours ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33, sixth in the Western Conference) Minneapolis; Sunday,…

San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33, sixth in the Western Conference)

Minneapolis; Sunday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Spurs -4.5; over/under is 215.5

WESTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Spurs lead series 2-1

BOTTOM LINE: The San Antonio Spurs visit the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference second round with a 2-1 lead in the series. The Spurs won the last meeting 115-108 on Saturday, led by 39 points from Victor Wembanyama. Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 32.

The Timberwolves are 31-21 against Western Conference opponents. Minnesota is sixth in the Western Conference with 33.0 defensive rebounds per game led by Rudy Gobert averaging 7.5.

The Spurs are 36-16 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio is fourth in the Western Conference with 16.3 fast break points per game led by Julian Champagnie averaging 3.0.

The Timberwolves’ 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.8 more made shots on average than the 13.0 per game the Spurs allow. The Spurs average 13.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.5 more made shots on average than the 12.1 per game the Timberwolves allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: Julius Randle is averaging 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and five assists for the Timberwolves. Naz Reid is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Wembanyama is averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks for the Spurs. De’Aaron Fox is averaging 18.6 points and 6.2 assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 111.1 points, 47.3 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 6.1 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.1 points per game.

Spurs: 7-3, averaging 116.9 points, 46.5 rebounds, 25.9 assists, 7.7 steals and 7.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.5 points.

INJURIES: Timberwolves: Donte DiVincenzo: out for season (leg).

Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Copyright
© 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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Minneapolis, MN

‘The power of truth:’ How high school students reported on the ICE surge in their front yard

Published

20 hours ago

May 8, 2026

Press Room

‘The power of truth:’ How high school students reported on the ICE surge in their front yard

Student journalists at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis witnessed federal agents shove staffers and students and deploy pepper spray on school grounds last January. That inspired them to report stories of how that event and the ICE surge impacted their colleagues and communities.

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