Elon Musk renewed his call for Derek Chauvin to be released on Wednesday, claiming the former Minneapolis police officer was wrongly convicted in George Floyd ’s death. Musk said the evidence did not show Chauvin caused Floyd’s death or intended for anyone to die, and declared that Chauvin “is not a murderer.” Musk’s comments go beyond his previous support for a possible pardon. Last year, after Ben Shapiro promoted a campaign urging President Donald Trump to grant Chauvin federal clemency, Musk amplified the effort on X by calling it “something to think about.” What Would It Take to Free Chauvin? Chauvin was convicted in Minnesota state court in 2021 of second degree murder, third degree murder and second degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death. Chauvin later pleaded guilty to federal charges alleging that he violated Floyd’s civil rights, meaning his imprisonment includes both state and federal sentences. According to the reported timeline, Chauvin is serving the sentences concurrently and has a projected release date in 2037, with possible parole eligibility around 2035. Trump could pardon the federal conviction, but a presidential pardon would not erase the Minnesota state conviction or automatically put Chauvin on the street.