The mother of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin said federal authorities updated her about her son’s condition on Monday, three days after another inmate stabbed him in prison.
Chauvin, who is currently serving a 20-plus year sentence for second-degree murder in connection with the death of George Floyd, was stabbed at Federal Correctional Institution, Tucson — a medium-security prison — on Friday, resulting in serious injury.
His mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, reportedly told Alpha News that someone from the Bureau of Prisons gave little to no information about the extent of her son’s injuries, saying Chauvin was “stable and has protection” in an unnamed medical facility. The person reportedly said she would hear from him “as soon as he’s able to” give her a call.
According to Pawlenty, authorities said they did not contact her sooner because they “didn’t want to give her false information and had to get the situation under control.”
The update comes after Chauvin’s attorney, Gregory M. Erickson, slammed the bureau in a statement following the attack, claiming the law enforcement agency has provided no updates on Chauvin’s condition or current location.
Erickson alleged the prison lacks “institutional control” and offered dismal communication to the law firm and Chauvin’s family.
“As an outsider, I view this lack of communication with his attorneys and family members as completely outrageous,” Erickson reportedly said. “It appears to be indicative of a poorly run facility and indicates how Derek’s assault was allowed to happen.”
Erickson said the third-party reporting appeared to be the only source of information Chauvin’s family has received to assume he is stable, but they remain “understandably doubtful because of the lack of transparency that has permeated this ordeal.”
Pawlenty also reportedly expressed her frustration that the media and the attorney general of Minnesota knew about her son’s condition before her, claiming she reached out to every agency involved dozens of times in the last three days seeking information.
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“Every five minutes, I was on the phone,” Pawlenty reportedly said. “I haven’t slept in three days. It’s ridiculous.”
The latest incident in the federal prison system marks the latest high-profile attack on a prisoner in the last five months, according to The Associated Press.
Federal Correctional Institution, Tucson has also has a recent history of attempted violence. In November 2022, an inmate reportedly accessed a firearm and attempted to shoot a visitor in the head. No injuries were reported.
Attorney William Mohrman filed an appeal at the U.S. Supreme Court on Chauvin’s behalf earlier this year, arguing, in part, that his client was denied the right to a fair trial. However, the high court declined to hear the appeal last week.