LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 21: Ben Shapiro speaks onstage during Politicon 2018 at Los Angeles Convention Center on October 21, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Politicon )
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro called on President Donald Trump to pardon ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin‘s federal conviction in the murder of George Floyd. During his podcast The Ben Shapiro Show, Shapiro opened his discussion of the case by acknowledging that granting Chauvin a pardon would be “incredibly controversial.”
“But I think it’s absolutely necessary,” he added.
>MORE: Pundit Ben Shapiro Sparks Controversy After Calling Retirement ‘A Stupid Idea’
Video of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for several minutes while Floyd said he “can’t breathe” went viral in 2020 and sparked Black Lives Matter protests against police misconduct and systemic racism across the country.
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Chauvin is currently serving two overlapping prison terms—one for a federal conviction and another for a state conviction. Floyd’s death sparked global demonstrations against police violence and systemic racial injustice, especially toward Black Americans.
>MORE: Derek Chauvin, Officer Convicted Of Murdering George Floyd, Stabbed In Federal Prison
To conclude the recent episode of his podcast, Shapiro advocated for Trump to pardon Chauvin for his federal conviction, in part blaming the riots that followed the initial incident. He effectively dismissed the state jury’s findings, contending that Chauvin wasn’t to blame for Floyd’s death.
Dr. Andrew Baker, Hennepin County’s Chief Medical Examiner, determined that Floyd’s death was a homicide, citing “cardiopulmonary arrest” brought on by “law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression” as the cause. He reaffirmed those conclusions while testifying in court.
The podcaster urged Trump to pardon the former Minneapolis police officer claiming that Chauvin was unjustly convicted and that Floyd’s death was caused by underlying health issues and drug use. Shapiro launched a website, pardonderek.com, where people can sign a petition calling on Trump to pardon Chauvin for his federal charges. The petition has received more than 50,000 signatures.
The segment, which Shapiro also shared on X, encourages viewers to support a petition calling on Trump to issue a federal pardon. Shapiro, among other disputes, argued that Chauvin was not the proximate cause of Floyd’s death. The clip was also reposted by X CEO, Elon Musk, with the caption, “Something to think about.”
Shapiro is launching a five-part docuseries titled The Case for Derek Chauvin that will start airing on his Tuesday show.
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