Conservative media commentator Ben Shapiro called on Tuesday for President Donald Trump to pardon police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of George Floyd in 2020.

Shapiro, who hosts "The Ben Shapiro Show," started a petition to free Chauvin, who he said was "unjustly convicted" of killing Floyd after massive protests erupted all across the country by people who viewed leaked body cam footage.

Chauvin was found guilty of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in April 2021 in the local courts, and he was later sentenced to 22.5 years in jail.

A year later, Chauvin pled guilty to two violations of federal civil rights law and was sentenced to 21 years in jail for those violations.

Massive pressure

“There was massive overt pressure on the [Minnesota] jury to return a guilty verdict regardless of the evidence or any semblance of impartial deliberation,” Shapiro wrote in the letter.

“This pressure took the form of threats, coercion, and intimidation,” he continued. “There was no opportunity for blind justice to work, and a man is now rotting in prison because of it.”

“Make no mistake,” Shapiro went on, “the Derek Chauvin conviction represents the defining achievement of the Woke movement in American politics.”

If Trump pardons Chauvin, it would only get rid of the federal charges; Chauvin would remain in a low-security jail on the local ones.

Not fair

Chauvin responded to a store where Floyd was accused of trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill. During the confrontation, Floyd fell to the floor and Chauvin put his knee on Floyd's neck to immobilize him.

Floyd said several times that he could not breathe. He eventually lost consciousness and later died.

Shapiro does not think Chauvin caused Floyd's death and doesn't believe he got a fair trial because of the massive public pressure nationwide.

It was later learned that Floyd had taken enough drugs to overdose during the time of the altercation with Chauvin and that his condition was likely drug-induced rather than caused by Chauvin.

Didn't know

No one at the scene mentioned drug use and Chauvin was unaware that Floyd might be overdosing.

Trump has not mentioned pardoning Chauvin so far in his administration.