Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was convicted on Tuesday of killing George Floyd, is being held in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day, according to The New York Times.
Chauvin was placed in the Administrative Control Unit of the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Oak Park Heights soon after his conviction on Tuesday, according to Minnesota Department of Corrections (MDC) spokeswoman Sarah Fitzgerald. He was placed there due to fears over his safety, Fitzgerald told the Times.
The cell where Chauvin is being held has a bench with a mattress pad, a combined toilet and sink, and a shower, according to the Minnesota Department of Correction’s website.
Chauvin, 45, was found guilty on the three counts against him — second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter — and awaits sentencing on June 16. He could face up to 40 years in prison for the second-degree murder charge alone.
According to the MDC, “the Administrative Control Unit (ACU) often houses individuals for disciplinary reasons but may also house some individuals who are on Administrative Segregation.”
“This type of restricted housing is not disciplinary in nature. Sometimes it is used during pending investigations or when continued presence in the general population could pose a particular safety concern.”