Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was transferred to a low-security prison in Texas on Tuesday after being stabbed 22 times while in a federal prison in Tucson, Ariz., in November. File Photo courtesy Ramsey County Sheriff's Office/UPI |
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Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was transferred to a low-security federal prison in Texas on Tuesday, the federal Bureau of Prisons announced.
Chavin, 48, is serving a 21-year sentence after being convicted of murdering George Floyd and was stabbed 22 times by another prisoner while imprisoned in Tucson, Ariz., on Nov. 24.
The BOP days ago transferred Chauvin to a temporary facility in Oklahoma and on Tuesday placed him in a low-security federal prison in Big Springs, Texas.
Prisoner John Turscak is accused of using an improvised knife to stab Chauvin, who suffered serious injuries.
Turscak allegedly is a former member of the Mexican Mafia and is serving a 30-year sentence for crimes he committed while an FBI informant.
Prosecutors charged Turscak with attempted murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to commit murder and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Turscak represented himself and said he had thought about hurting Chauvin for several weeks prior to the attack.
He said he chose the day after Thanksgiving for the attempted killing in support of Black Lives Matter.
Chavin was convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Floyd died while Chauvin was witnessed and recorded in 2020 kneeling on the back of his neck for several minutes despite Floyd saying he couldn't breathe.
While Chauvin was transferred to a new federal prison facility, former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane was released from prison Tuesday after serving his sentence for his role in Floyd's death.
Lane, 41, was imprisoned in a low-security facility in Littleton, Colo., for 30 months and will spend a year under supervised release, according to the BOP.
A jury in July 2022 found Lane guilty of federal charges for violating Floyd's civil rights.
Lane afterward pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter in a Hennepin County, Minn., court and was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.
Lane is the first of four former Minneapolis police officers who were charged and convicted of Floyd's death to complete his prison sentence.
He had been a police officer for four days when fellow officer Chauvin killed Floyd. Video footage showed Lane holding Floyd by his legs as other police officers kept a nearby crowd away and Chauvin kneeled on Floyd's neck for about 10 minutes.
Chauvin will be eligible for release in 2038.