Archive · 20 Aug 2026
Thanedar Slams Musk Over Derek Chauvin Defense of Conviction
Elon Musk said Derek Chauvin should not have been convicted for George Floyd’s death.
Musk argued that Chauvin did not cause the death and did not mean for anyone to die.
Representative Shri Thanedar strongly disagreed with Musk.
Thanedar criticized Musk in a post on X. Musk also said it was unfair that other officers at the scene were jailed.
Chauvin was convicted in George Floyd’s 2020 death.
Floyd died after Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes.
The death led to large protests about police brutality and racism.
Chauvin has been in federal prison since 2021 and is still trying to challenge the charges.
Elon Musk said Derek Chauvin was unjustly convicted in George Floyd’s death and should be freed.
Musk wrote on X on August 19 that Chauvin was not the cause of death and did not intend for a death to occur.
U.S. Representative Shri Thanedar condemned Musk’s post on August 20 with a personal and political attack.
Musk also called the imprisonment of bystander officers “extremely unfair.”
Chauvin’s latest request to dismiss state murder charges was filed after two earlier petitions were rejected.
- Who
- Elon Musk, U.S. Representative Shri Thanedar, Derek Chauvin, and George Floyd.
- What
- Thanedar criticized Musk for saying Chauvin was unjustly convicted and should be freed.
- When
- Musk made the post on August 19; Thanedar responded on August 20. Floyd died in May 2020, and Chauvin has been in federal prison since 2021.
- Where
- The dispute occurred on X, while Floyd’s death occurred in Minneapolis, United States.
- Why
- Musk argued that Chauvin did not cause Floyd’s death or intend to cause a death; Thanedar condemned that position.
Criticism of Chauvin’s Conviction
Defense of Chauvin’s Conviction
Whether Chauvin was responsible
Criticism of Chauvin’s Conviction
Thanedar’s response condemned Musk’s claim and treated Chauvin’s conviction for Floyd’s death as justified.
Defense of Chauvin’s Conviction
Musk said Chauvin was not the cause of death, did not intend a death, and was therefore unjustly convicted.
Treatment of other officers
Criticism of Chauvin’s Conviction
The article notes that bystander officers were also jailed following Floyd’s death.
Defense of Chauvin’s Conviction
Musk said the imprisonment of those officers was “extremely unfair.”
Current legal challenge
Criticism of Chauvin’s Conviction
Chauvin’s previous petitions seeking dismissal of the charges were rejected by the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
Defense of Chauvin’s Conviction
Chauvin’s attorneys have continued challenging the conviction, and he has made a third request to dismiss the state murder charges.
- Musk’s claim
- He said Chauvin was unjustly convicted, should be freed, and was not a murderer.
- Thanedar’s response
- Thanedar strongly condemned Musk’s statement and attacked him on X.
- Other officers
- Musk called the imprisonment of bystander officers “extremely unfair.”
- George Floyd’s death
- Floyd died in May 2020 after Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes during an arrest.
- Chauvin’s legal status
- Chauvin has been in federal prison since 2021.
- Latest legal request
- Chauvin again requested dismissal of state murder charges; the article says two earlier petitions were denied.
- Public impact
- Floyd’s death sparked global protests against police brutality and systemic racism and contributed to the Black Lives Matter movement.