Derek Chauvin's attorney Gregory M. Erickson criticized the Federal Bureau of Prisons for its lack of transparency after he learned that the former police officer convicted of killing George Floyd had been stabbed by another inmate on Friday.
"How the family members who are in charge of Derek’s decisions regarding his personal medical care and his emergency contact were not informed after his stabbing further indicates the institution’s poor procedures and lack of institutional control," Erickson said in a statement reported by AP.
The lawyer also reported that the former officer's family and attorneys have tried to contact the prison numerous times but have been unsuccessful. In addition, he explained that the information published by the media leads them to believe that he is stable.
Bits of official information
Although local authorities did not offer more details, they did acknowledge what happened after the media reported on the attack. Until then, the Bureau of Prisons had announced that an anonymous victim had been assaulted inside the Tucson Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), around 12:30 p.m. local time on Friday.
"I am sad to hear that Derek Chauvin was the target of violence," Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison told the Star Tribune that same day. He further added that "like any incarcerated individual, he should be able to serve his sentence without fear of retaliation or violence." He also mentioned that Chauvin is expected to survive.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara also confirmed the attack. In widely criticized statements, he claimed that the news about the attack on Chauvin called for "quiet reflection while the world continues to process the trauma of George Floyd's murder." "It is clear that this still reverberates with the people of Minneapolis and their police."
