Unconditional Bail For Former Minneapolis Cop Derek Chauvin Set At $1.25 Million

A judge set the unconditional bail for Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with George Floyd’s murder, at $1.25 million on Monday.

Hennepin County District Court Judge Jeannice Reding also set a $1 million bail option for Chauvin with certain conditions that include no contact with Floyd’s family and no travel outside of Minnesota without permission.

Chauvin, 44, made his first court appearance via video monitor from Oak Park Heights prison exactly two weeks after Floyd’s killing. He has been charged with second-degree murder without intent, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Bystander video captured Chauvin, who is white, kneeling on Floyd’s neck as he lay face-down on the ground in handcuffs. Floyd, who is Black, was unarmed and stated repeatedly that he couldn’t breathe. Three other former officers, including two who assisted in pinning down Floyd, have been charged with aiding and abetting his murder.

Reding on Monday raised Chauvin’s unconditional bail from $1 million to $1.25 million and his bail with conditions from $750,000 to $1 million at the request of prosecutor Matthew Frank, who argued that public opinion and the “severity of the charges” increased Chauvin’s chances of being a flight risk.

“Obviously, the death has had a strong reaction in the community, to put it mildly,” Frank told the court during the hearing, which lasted about 15 minutes, according to local NBC affiliate KARE 11.

Anti-racism protests have erupted across the country since Floyd’s death in Minneapolis on May 25. On Sunday, the Minneapolis City Council announced its intent to disband the Minneapolis Police Department and create “a new transformative model for cultivating safety in our city.”

Chauvin’s next court appearance has been scheduled for June 29.