Derek Chauvin sentencing trial – live: Former Minneapolis police office to be sentenced in murder of George Floyd

Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd, will receive his sentence on Friday, with legal experts predicting he could face decades in prison.

Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in April following an emotional and tense trial in Minneapolis.

On 25 May last year, Chauvin was recorded kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes while he pleaded for air and lost consciousness.

The former police officer will be sentenced only on the most serious charge with the state’s sentencing guidelines recommending that he should face 12 and a half years.

However, Judge Peter Cahill has already found that aggravating factors in Floyd’s death, such as Chauvin’s position of authority and the presence of children, warrant more jail time.

Though Chauvin is widely expected to appeal, he also still faces trial on federal civil rights charges, along with three other fired officers who have yet to have their state trials.

The sentencing of Chauvin marks the end of one of the biggest civil rights cases in a generation.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press