Could President Donald Trump Pardon Ex-Minneapolis Cop Derek Chauvin?

MINNEAPOLIS — On day one of his presidency, President Donald Trump pardoned, commuted the prison sentences or vowed to dismiss the cases of all of the 1,500-plus people charged with crimes in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, including 14 Minnesotans.

Among them is Brian Mock, of Minneapolis. In July of 2023, Chief Judge James E. Boasberg found Mock guilty of all 11 charges filed against him, including assaulting an officer, theft of government property, and engaging in physical violence on restricted grounds.

Authorities said Mock was seen on body camera footage shoving a U.S. Capitol police officer to the ground while another rioter grabbed the officer's leg. Mock "then appeared to kick" the officer while he was laying on the ground, investigators said.

Other rioters continued to assault the officer, according to authorities.

Later, Mock was recorded pushing another officer to the ground, investigators said. Mock then "picked up multiple USCP riot shields and passed them back to other members of the violent riot crowd," according to authorities.

Framing the rioters as “patriots” and “hostages,” Trump has argued that the Justice Department unjustly treated them.

He stated that the pardons would rectify “a grave national injustice inflicted on the American people over the past four years” and initiate “a process of national reconciliation.”

Additional pardons may be on the horizon in the coming days. Could Trump potentially pardon Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis officer convicted in George Floyd’s death?

Related: Derek Chauvin Was Stabbed 22 Times In Prison: Court Documents

While Trump hasn’t publicly promised a pardon for Derek Chauvin, many of his supporters argue that Chauvin's sentence was excessive or politically motivated.

Legally, Trump could indeed pardon Chauvin for his federal conviction related to violating Floyd’s civil rights, as the U.S. Constitution grants presidents authority over federal pardons.

However, Chauvin’s state conviction for second-degree murder in Minnesota lies outside Trump’s reach, as it requires state-level action.

A federal pardon may still impact Chauvin's time served. Currently, his 22.5-year state sentence and 21-year federal sentence run concurrently. But Minnesota’s early-release policies could potentially reduce his time to 15 years, assuming good behavior.

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story.