George Floyd

Though it's highly rare for a police officer to be handed such a heavy sentence, many expressed disappointment. Others see it as a winning precedent that promises future accountability.

"It's important to acknowledge how far we've come. Those who raised their voices to demand justice for George Floyd need to know that their activism made a difference," the family said.

Ellison said the 270-month sentence was one of the longest prison terms ever issued to a former police officer for the unlawful use of deadly force.

Chauvin "treated Mr. Floyd without respect and denied him the dignity owed to all human beings," wrote Judge Peter Cahill, adding an additional 10 years to Chauvin's presumptive sentence.

The former Minneapolis police officer gave his condolences to George Floyd's family. He also said, without explanation, there would be "some other information in the future that would be of interest."

She said in a victim impact video played in court that when she is someday reunited with her father, she wants to "play with him, have fun. Go on a plane ride. And that's it."

"For an entire year, I had to relive George being tortured to death every hour of the day," Philonise Floyd said during his victim impact statement in court.

Carolyn Pawlenty told the judge Derek Chauvin's character has been twisted by the media. He was convicted of second degree-murder in George Floyd's death, a killing that reverberated around the world.

Prosecutors were asking for the former police officer to be sentenced to a 30-year prison term. The defense attorney called for probation and time already served.

The judge found that Chauvin abused a position of trust, treated George Floyd with "particular cruelty," committed the crime as part of a group, and the offense occurred in front of children.