Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis policeman charged with murder in the death of George Floyd, has been transferred to the Oak Park Heights maximum-security prison, Fox News has reported.
Minnesota’s Department of Corrections commissioner Paul Schnell said that transfers of high-profile prisoners are not uncommon.
He added over the weekend that part of the reason Chauvin was moved was due to concerns over the coronavirus, especially considering the high number of protesters who already had been arrested, CBS News reported.
Corrections facilities in the state have been criticized for becoming COVID-19 hotspots, with dozens of prisoners testing positive for the disease this past month.
The Oak Park Heights prison is the highest custody level in the state’s system, according to Minnesota's Department of Corrections.
Chauvin was originally brought to the Ramsey County Jail after his arrest, and then he was taken to the Hennepin County Jail on Sunday afternoon before being moved the same day again to Oak Park Heights, ABC News’ KSTP reported.
While at Ramsey County Jail, Chauvin was in isolation and was monitored by a camera in his cell watching him 24/7, as well as guards monitoring the feed around the clock, TMZ reported.
In addition, he was getting checked on in-person every 15 minutes.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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