Elon Musk has called for the release of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted over George Floyd's death, arguing on August 19 that Chauvin's 22.5-year state prison sentence is 'unjust'. Musk claimed Chauvin was not responsible for Floyd's death and 'is not a murderer', despite court findings and Chauvin's own federal guilty plea contradicting key parts of that argument.
The intervention came as Chauvin's legal team pursued another attempt to challenge his conviction. According to reports published this week, his latest petition raises constitutional and procedural arguments about the prosecution that led to his conviction. A previous post-conviction petition was denied in May 2026.
