Ben Shapiro has launched a petition urging former President Donald Trump to pardon Derek Chauvin, the ex-Minneapolis officer convicted of murdering George Floyd in 2020. In a letter, Shapiro argued that Chauvin was "unjustly convicted" and called for his immediate release, despite the overwhelming evidence and legal rulings that held him accountable.
Floyd’s killing, which ignited global protests, was captured on video, showing him pleading, “I can’t breathe,” as Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for nearly ten minutes. The tragedy became a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement and widespread demonstrations against racial injustice.
Shapiro dismissed Floyd’s murder as merely "the inciting event for the BLM riots," claiming protests led to property destruction and worsened "America’s race relations." He alleged that Chauvin's trial was compromised, arguing the jury was pressured into a guilty verdict and suggesting that political figures influenced the outcome. "Under these circumstances, there was no opportunity for blind justice to work, and a man is now rotting in prison because of it," he wrote.
Chauvin is serving two concurrent sentences: a 21-year federal term for violating Floyd’s civil rights and a 22.5-year state sentence for second-degree murder. He has repeatedly tried and failed to appeal his conviction.
Shapiro acknowledged that Trump cannot overturn Chauvin’s state conviction but insisted that a federal pardon would be a powerful statement. “Make no mistake—the Derek Chauvin conviction represents the defining achievement of the Woke movement in American politics,” he claimed, adding, “The country cannot turn the page on that dark, divisive, and racist era without righting this terrible wrong.”
In closing, Shapiro thanked Trump for his “commitment to ending the weaponization of the American justice system.” Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk also weighed in, posting on X, “Something to think about.”
The push to pardon Derek Chauvin disregards the brutal reality of George Floyd’s murder and the justice secured through the legal system. This moment demands unwavering advocacy, not revisionist narratives that seek to erase accountability.
Link: The Hill
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