Derek Chauvin, the ex-Minneapolis police officer convicted of George Floyd’s murder, was reportedly stabbed by another inmate on Friday at a federal prison in Tucson, Arizona, according to a source familiar with the situation, as reported by CBS News.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison expressed sadness over the incident, emphasizing that Chauvin, having been duly convicted, should serve his sentence without fear of violence or retaliation.
On Saturday morning, Ellison confirmed to CBS News that Chauvin is expected to survive the attack.
The Bureau of Prisons released a statement stating that an incarcerated person was “assaulted” at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson around 12:30 p.m. local time on Friday.
The agency did not disclose the assaulted inmate’s identity or condition but mentioned that employees responded promptly, providing life-saving measures before transporting the inmate to a local hospital for further treatment and evaluation.
The Federal Correctional Institution is classified as a medium-security prison, and no staff members were injured. The FBI was informed of the incident.
Gregory Erickson, a civil attorney for Chauvin, stated that neither the law firm nor Chauvin’s immediate family has received updates on his condition or location from the prison.
Chauvin, aged 47, had been transferred to FCI Tucson in August 2022 from a maximum-security Minnesota state prison. This move allowed him to serve concurrent 21-year federal and 22½-year state sentences for violating George Floyd’s civil rights and second-degree murder, respectively.
This stabbing marks the second high-profile attack on a federal prisoner within five months, following the assault on disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar in July at a federal penitentiary in Florida.
Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, had previously advocated for keeping him out of the general population, citing concerns about potential threats. In Minnesota, Chauvin had mostly been kept in solitary confinement for his safety.
The Supreme Court recently rejected Chauvin’s appeal, maintaining his conviction. Chauvin’s legal battle had centered around a Minnesota trial court’s denial of requests for a change of venue and jury sequestration, arguing that the proceedings’ location jeopardized his right to a fair trial due to pretrial publicity and the threat of violence.
The incident comes amid increased scrutiny of the federal Bureau of Prisons following incidents like Jeffrey Epstein’s jail suicide in 2019, Nassar’s stabbing, and the suicide of “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski in June at a federal medical center in North Carolina.
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