Derek Chauvin kneeled on George Floyd for over 9 minutes because of ex-officer’s pride and ego, prosecutor says Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on George Floyd’s neck and back for 9 minutes and 29 seconds because of his pride and his ego in the face of concerned bystanders, a prosecutor said Monday in the state’s closing argument at his criminal trial. “He was not going to let these bystanders tell him what to do. He was going to do what he wanted, how he wanted, for as long as he wanted. And there was nothing, nothing they can do about it because he had the authority. He had the power, and the other officers, the bystanders were powerless,” prosecuting attorney Steve Schleicher said. “He was trying to win, and George Floyd paid for it with his life.”