Is Derek Chauvin OK? Former cop stabbed in Arizona's medium-custody prison plagued by security lapses
TUCSON, ARIZONA: Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is reportedly in a "stable condition" after being stabbed by another inmate and suffering from serious injuries at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson, Arizona, where he is serving a 22-year sentence for the murder of George Floyd.
Chauvin was attacked on Friday, November 24, inside the medium-security prison which has been under scrutiny for security lapses and staffing shortages, according to the Associated Press.
The Bureau of Prisons later verified that an inmate, not identified at the time, was assaulted at FCI Tucson around 12:30 PM local time on Friday, November 24.
The agency stated that responding staff contained the incident, implementing "life-saving measures" before transporting the inmate to a hospital for additional treatment and evaluation.
Reports indicated that no employees were harmed in the Friday attack, but visitation at the facility, which accommodates approximately 380 inmates, was temporarily suspended.
What is Derek Chauvin's current condition?
Chauvin reportedly needed "life-saving measures" after being stabbed by another inmate. Although he was left with serious injuries from the stabbing, the former cop was reportedly given medical treatment and is in stable condition.
Keith Ellison, the attorney general of Minnesota who oversaw Chauvin's prosecution, told the Star Tribune that he was notified Chauvin was stabbed but managed to survive the attack and was eventually considered to be stable.
"I am sad to hear that Derek Chauvin was the target of violence," Ellison said. "He was duly convicted of his crimes and, like any incarcerated individual, he should be able to serve his sentence without fear of retaliation or violence," he stated.
Brian O'Hara, chief of Minneapolis police, also mentioned that the attack on Chauvin was not to be cheered. "Violence is barbaric and tragic, and should never be cause for celebration," he said.
"Today's news is cause for quiet reflection while the world continues to process the trauma of George Floyd's murder," O'Hara noted, adding, "It is clear that this still reverberates with the people of Minneapolis and their police."
What is the meaning of a medium-security prison?
A medium-security prison, also known as the Federal Correctional Institution, is a type of correctional facility designed to house a large number of inmates who have been convicted of serious crimes but are not considered to be as high-risk as people held in maximum-security prisons, according to Doc's CJ Glossary.
These facilities reportedly have dormitory living arrangements and fewer security and supervision measures as compared to maximum-security facilities but more than that of minimum-security facilities.
The key function of a medium-security prison is to provide a safe and secure environment for inmates while also preparing them to find their way back into society.
As per the Federal Bureau of Prisons, medium-security prisons usually have strengthened perimeters and often house inmates in cells. They also tend to have a high staff-to-inmate ratio which allows prison staff to exert greater control over the inmate population.
When was Derek Chauvin shifted to FCI Tucson?
Chauvin was shifted to FCI Tucson from a maximum-security Minnesota state prison in August 2022 to simultaneously serve a 21-year federal sentence for violating Floyd’s civil rights along with a 22-and-a-half-year state sentence for second-degree murder.
At the time of Chauvin's sentencing experts said the former police officer was likely to be safer in a federal system as it typically houses less-violent inmates and he would be less likely to mix with inmates he had arrested or investigated while serving as a cop in Minneapolis.
"It's dangerous to be an officer in any prison," said Tom Heffelfinger, former US Attorney, following Chauvin's sentencing. "It's even more dangerous in state prison because of the nature of the inmate population," he added.
"There are gangs, for example," Heffelfinger continued, adding, "And police officers just don't do well there. Those risks are reduced in a federal prison."
Chauvin’s lawyer, Eric Nelson, had long advocated for keeping the former out of the general prison population and away from other inmates over fears of him being a target.
Back in Minnesota, Chauvin was reportedly kept in solitary confinement "largely for his own protection," as per court papers filed by Nelson last year.
Derek Chauvin's stabbing marks second high-profile prison attack in last few months after Larry Nassar
Chauvin's stabbing is being considered as the second high-profile prison attack in the five months after Larry Nassar. Back in July, the disgraced sports doctor was stabbed by a fellow inmate at a federal penitentiary in Florida.
In November 2022, FCI Tucson witnessed another major incident involving a prisoner. An inmate at the facility's low-security prison camp allegedly pulled out a gun and attempted to shoot a visitor in the head.
The weapon which misfired and did not lead to anyone getting hurt, should not have been with the inmate in the first place.
The attack on Chauvin has sparked renewed questions about the security system of the prison which intended to provide him a greater degree of security.
The US Supreme Court rejected Derek Chauvin's appeal last week
Just a few days before he was stabbed inside prison, Chauvin's appeal of his murder conviction was rejected by the US Supreme Court.
Chauvin is reportedly making a longshot bid to overturn his federal guilty plea by claiming that new evidence shows he did not cause Floyd’s death, according to the Daily Mail.
Chauvin was sentenced over the death of Floyd, an African-American man who died on May 25, 2020, after the former, who is Caucasian, reportedly pressed a knee on his neck for nine and a half minutes on the street outside a convenience store.
The altercation happened after officers suspected Floyd of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill. Videos from the scene showed Floyd repeatedly saying, "I can't breathe" before his demise.
His death sparked worldwide protests and brought issues of police brutality and racism under the limelight.