The bail amount for the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering African American George Floyd, which led to nationwide protests in the US, was set at 1.25 million dollars by the Hennepin County courthouse, on Monday 8 June.
Derek Chauvin had knelt on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes, leading to his death. The charges against him were changed from third-degree murder to second-degree murder, which could get a sentence of up to 40 years of imprisonment.
The New York Times reported the prosecutor in the case, Matthew Frank, asked for 1.25 million dollar bail on two grounds – the likelihood to flee from the jurisdiction and the fact that the severity of those charges warranted a significant amount of bail.
The report said during the hearing, Chauvin, dressed in an orange jumpsuit and a blue mask, did not object to the bail condition. Chauvin made his first court appearance by video link.
However, this bail amount could be reduced to one million dollars, provided he agreed to certain conditions.
The conditions are surrendering any of his firearms, remaining in the state until trial, not working in law enforcement and avoiding any contact with the Floyd family. The bail amounts for the other three officers accused of aiding and abetting in Floyd’s death were set at 7,50,000 dollars.
In a relief to many protestors vehemently raising their voice against the killing of George Floyd in the United State's Minneapolis by the local police, the city councillors on Sunday, 7 June said, that the police department will be dismantled and rebuilt, news agency AFP reported.
"We committed to dismantling policing as we know it in the city of Minneapolis and to rebuild with our community a new model of public safety that actually keeps our community safe," Council President Lisa Bender told CNN.
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