WASHINGTON COUNTY, MINNESOTA: Derek Chauvin, notorious for his role in the killing of George Floyd, was recently assaulted in a federal prison in Arizona. Meanwhile, his ex-wife Kellie Chauvin who previously faced a 20-day jail sentence and hefty fines exceeding $38,000 for six years of tax evasion, currently resides in a quiet Wisconsin suburb.
She has expressed that the legal ordeal has profoundly affected her, stating it has "ruined my life."
What led to Kellie Chauvin's arrest?
Court documents from Washington County, Minnesota, reveal that Kellie was charged in 2020 with six felony counts of filing false or fraudulent tax returns and three felony counts of failing to file a tax return for the years 2014 to 2019.
Prosecutors alleged that the couple failed to report a significant income of $464,433 during this period, resulting in $21,853 in unpaid taxes. Earlier this year, Kellie pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to file a tax return, leading to a plea deal that saw seven other counts dismissed, as per Insider.
Derek Chauvin assaulted in prison
Simultaneously, Derek, currently serving a 22-and-a-half-year sentence for Floyd's murder, faced an unexpected assault in the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson.
The assault, reported on Friday, November 24, left the former officer injured, but he was in stable condition. While the FBI offices in Phoenix and Minneapolis acknowledged their awareness of the incident, the Bureau of Prisons is expected to provide more information on the matter.
Greg Erickson, the attorney representing Derek, said that he is in the process of obtaining confirmation regarding the assault. The Bureau of Prisons released a statement on Friday stating that an assault took place at the Tucson prison around 12.30 pm, referring to the victim as "an incarcerated individual."
The statement from the Bureau of Prisons noted that "responding employees initiated life-saving measures for one incarcerated individual," who was subsequently transferred to a hospital for treatment, as per CNN.
Prosecutors in the tax evasion case allege that Derek and Kellie omitted income details in their tax returns for the years 2016 to 2019. The omission included Derek's off-duty security work for the Minneapolis Police Department and Kellie's photography business. The court documents further reveal a phone call between the Chauvins in June 2020, where Kellie informed Derek about the investigation into their unfiled tax returns.
Derek's legal troubles persist, with the recent rejection of his appeal by the US Supreme Court on his state conviction. Derek had argued that he did not receive a fair trial, but the high court rejected his appeal without comment or a recorded vote.
