Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin has been sentenced to 22-and-a-half years in prison for the murder of George Floyd.

The 45-year-old broke his silence and addressed the court briefly before the sentencing.

“Want to give my condolences to the Floyd family, there’s going to be come other information in the future that would be of interest and I hope things will give you some peace of mind,” Chauvin told the court.

His mother Carolyn Pawlenty also spoke publicly for the first time.

“I’ve always supported him 100 percent and always will, Derek I want you to know I’ve always believed in your innocence and I will never waver from that.”

With good behaviour, Chauvin could be paroled after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about 15 years.The punishment fell short of the 30 years that prosecutors had requested.

Chauvin had been convicted of second-degree murder.

Judge Peter Cahill did not impose a sentence for convictions of third degree murder and manslaughter.

Floyd’s dying gasps under Chauvin’s knee led to the biggest outcry against racial injustice in the U-S and across the world in generations.