Support truly
independent journalism
Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd, has been moved to a new federal prison following his stabbing by an inmate last year.
Chauvin, 48, was transferred from Tuscon Federal Correctional Institution in Arizona to the Oklahoma Federal Transfer Center last week.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed the move to The Independent but said it could not give any further details “for privacy, safety, and security reasons.”
In November 2023, Chauvin was stabbed 22 times by inmate John Turscak, while Chauvin was serving a 21-year sentence for violating Floyd’s civil rights. Chauvin’s sentence is running concurrently with a 22.5-year state sentence for the second-degree murder conviction he received in Minnesota court 2021.
The disgraced cop was attacked in the prison’s law library with an improvised knife and was hospitalized for several days before being discharged.
Turscak faces charges of attempted murder, assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He reportedly told officials that he attacked Chauvin because of his notoriety.
Chauvin’s mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, requested on social media that people not send her son mail, books or commissary money because she does not know how long he will be at the facility in Oklahoma.
“Please be kind as not to post a lot of what/where/why questions on social media,” Pawlenty said. “I see everything posted, plus me not knowing many details about my son has given me a high level of anxiety. You can message me, but I don’t have many details yet to share, but will post when I do. I appreciate all of you for understanding.”
Chauvin was the officer captured in a passerby’s video kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes as he was arrested over the use of a counterfeit $20 note in May 2020.
Three other officers, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao, were also convicted in both state and federal court over Floyd’s death.
