Overview

• Ben Shapiro launched a petition advocating for a federal pardon for Derek Chauvin, surpassing 50,000 signatures and accompanied by a planned docuseries on Chauvin's case.
• A federal pardon would only affect Chauvin's federal conviction, leaving his state conviction and longer sentence intact.
• Shapiro argues Chauvin was unjustly convicted, but the medical examiner in George Floyd's case ruled his death a homicide caused by law enforcement’s actions, not drug use or health issues.
• Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison criticized the pardon effort, calling it a 'blatant disrespect' for the rule of law and a risk to public trust in the justice system.
• The campaign has drawn support from conservative influencers like Elon Musk and Charlie Kirk, while Trump has yet to make a decision on the matter.