The wife of accused ex-cop Derek Chauvin in the George Floyd murder has filed for divorce. She has requested to change her last name in an eight-page divorce petition and has declined to receive spousal support.
Kellie Chauvin filed for divorce on Saturday, a day after Derek Chauvin was arrested and charged with a third-degree murder in George Floyd's death. According to NBC, she wishes to change her name solely because of the dissolution of the marriage. She told the court that she was not seeking a name change to mislead creditors or to defraud anyone.
Derek and Kellie Chauvin have been married for 10 years but in her divorce petition, Kellie stated that they have been separated and that although she is currently not working, she is self-supporting, and hence will not be in need of temporary or permanent spousal support.
Derek Chauvin is a former Minneapolis police officer who has been accused of murdering George Floyd, an African American man while he was in custody. Although Floyd repeatedly said that he was unable to breathe, Chauvin kept kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes, which ultimately led to his death.
Nationwide protests have erupted across the United States condemning this act of police brutality. Some of the protests have even turned violent and there have been instances of looting in various cities. President Trump has said earlier this week that he is an 'ally of peaceful protesters' but should the protests turn violent and the city and state authorities are unable to do contain it, he would have to deploy the US military to enforce law and order.
