Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.
Floyd, 46, who died in the May 25th, 2020 encounter, was also restrained and subdued against the pavement. Footage of his treatment sparked global Black Lives Matter protests against racism and police brutality, which have continued almost a year on, as people continue to fight for justice for Floyd, and the countless others who have perished at the hands of law enforcement.
In light of the jury's verdict — which was delivered in under 11 hours, here are seven facts you should know about Chauvin.
1. Chauvin had 18 complaints on his record
Before the death of Floyd, Chauvin, 45, was the subject of 18 prior complaints filed with the Minneapolis Police Department's Internal Affairs, per CNN. Only two of these complaints resulted in discipline, according to an MPD internal affairs public summary. In both cases, he received a letter of reprimand.
In one of the cases that resulted in a reprimand, Minneapolis resident, Melissa Borton, told the Los Angeles Times that she filed a complaint against Chauvin in August of 2007. She said that he and another officer pulled her over for going 10 miles over the speed limit, while in the car with her infant child. The officers then reached inside her vehicle "without a word", pulled her out, and placed her in the back of their vehicle.
She was released 15 minutes later with no explanation. Chauvin was given a formal letter of reprimand and was told that he "did not have to remove complainant from the car", according to records from the Minneapolis Police Department.
A report by Communities Against Police Brutality — a Minnesota based nonprofit that compiled a database of complaints against officers in the state — wrote that the bulk of Chauvin's oral reprimands were due to using a "demeaning tone", "derogatory language" and other language that necessitated discipline.
Chauvin's former police department has not released any details about the other 16 complaints, or why they were closed.
2. He may have known George Floyd
Chauvin and Floyd reportedly worked together at a venue in Minneapolis in 2019, according to the owner. The former worked as an off-duty security guard, and the latter as a bouncer.
"Chauvin was our off-duty police for almost the entirety of the 17 years that we were open," Maya Santamaria, former owner of the nightclub, El Nuevo Rodeo, told Minneapolis and St. Paul's ABC-affiliate KSTP.
She could not say for certain if the pair knew each other, but did add: "They were working together at the same time, it's just that Chauvin worked outside and the security guards were inside."
One former employee – who later changed his story – claimed in June of 2020 that Chauvin and Floyd were acquainted. Former co-worker, David Pinney, told CBS News that the two men knew each other "pretty well" and that they "bumped heads".
"It has a lot to do with Derek being extremely aggressive within the club with some of the patrons, which was an issue," Pinney said. He later apologised for mistaking Floyd for another African-American employee, but stood by his assertion that Chauvin was "extremely aggressive".
3. The owner of the nightclub said Chauvin was "unnecessarily aggressive" with black clientele
Maya Santamaria also described Chauvin as "unnecessarily aggressive on nights when the club had a black clientele," per the Associated Press.
"He would mace everyone instead of apprehending the people who were fighting. He would call backup. The next thing you would know, there would five or six squad cars," Santamaria said.
"I told him I thought this is unnecessary to be pepper-sprayed. The knee-jerk reaction of being afraid, it seemed overkill," she continued. "It was a concern and I did voice my opinion, but police officers have a way of justifying what they do."
4. He was recommended for a Medal of Valor for a fatal shooting
Chauvin was recommended for a Medal of Valor in 2006 in connection with the shooting death of 42-year-old Wayne Reyes.
Officers responded to a report that Reyes had stabbed his girlfriend and another individual in a domestic dispute in October of 2006. He died after law enforcement, including Chauvin, opened fire on his truck after he allegedly pulled out a shotgun.
"I already knew what kind of monster that man is," his daughter Leanne Reyes said of Chauvin to the Washington Post. "And all I could feel was heartbreak that this had happened again," she said of Floyd's death.
5. Chauvin allegedly shot an individual during a domestic assault call
Minneapolis resident, Ira Latrell Toles, claimed that Chauvin beat and shot him in 2008. The former police officer reportedly entered his home unannounced while responding to a domestic violence call.
The IT professional said that Chauvin then shot him at close range, which left him with a permanent hole in his stomach, per The Daily Beast.
Toles admitted that the mother of his child had called the police on him that night, but was surprised when they arrived without announcing themselves.
"The officer that killed that guy might be the one that shot me," he texted his sister, after watching news reports about Floyd's death. "They said his last name and I think it was him." His sister replied: "It's him".
"If he was reprimanded when he shot me, George Floyd would still be alive," Toles added. "I knew he would do something again. I wish we had smartphones back then."
6. Chauvin's wife filed for divorce five days after George Floyd's death
Just three days after the death of Floyd, Chauvin's ex-wife, Kellie May Xiong Chauvin, separated from the former police officer. Her then-husband, who was in custody, missed the deadline to file an answer and counter-petition to challenge her proposals.
She then filed for divorce on May 3oth, 2020, in Washington County District Court in Stillwater, Minnesota, where she cited "an irretrievable breakdown".
The couple had been married since June of 2010, and they have no children together.
In a statement released by her attorneys, Laos-born Ms Chauvin said that "her utmost sympathy lies with [Mr Floyd’s] family." She also "respectfully [requested] that her children, her elder parents, and her extended family be given safety and privacy."
Initially, both parties requested that the majority of their assets be transferred to Ms Chauvin. However, Washington County District Judge, Juanita Freeman, rejected the proposal on the basis of potential fraud. A settlement filed in January of 2021 went onto award Ms Chauvin the net profits of the couple's home in Minnesota, and the title of their Florida home. Both properties had been heavily vandalised.
Per the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the couple planned to split their money and debts. This would leave Ms Chauvin with around $704,000, and her ex-husband with around $420,000.
The final settlement has not been revealed publicly.
7. They met at the same hospital where Floyd was pronounced dead
Chauvin met the Mrs Minnesota beauty pageant winner in the same hospital where Floyd was pronounced dead on May 25th, 2020.
He noticed her while he was bringing a suspect in for a health check prior to an arrest, according to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. After Chauvin had transferred the individual to jail, he returned to the hospital to ask Ms Chauvin out on a date.
Per the publication, she said in 2018: "Under all that uniform, he's just a softie. He's such a gentleman. He still opens the door for me, still puts my coat on for me. After my [first] divorce, I had a list of must-haves if I were ever to be in a relationship, and he fits all of them."