George Floyd's Name Removed From List of Those Recommended for Pardon

Earlier, the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole recommended a posthumous pardon for the drug conviction Floyd received in 2004. His death while being pinned to the ground by a policeman in Minneapolis, Minnesota in May 2020 sparked nationwide protests last year.

The name of George Floyd, a black man who was killed while in police custody in May 2020, was removed from a list of those recommended for pardon by Texas Governor, Greg Abbott.

On Thursday, Abbot granted eight full pardons but Floyd was not on the list after the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole withdrew his name - as well as 24 other names - citing "procedural errors and lack of compliance with board rules".

"The board will review and resolve procedural errors and issues related to any pending applications in compliance with their rules... As a result of the board’s withdrawal of the recommendation concerning George Floyd, Governor Abbott did not have the opportunity to consider it. Governor Abbott will review all recommendations that the board submits for consideration," a spokesman for Abbott said in a statement.

According to an annual tradition, Texas gives out pardons ahead of the holiday season, with the governor granting clemency to people previously charged with minor offences. Earlier, the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole unanimously recommended a posthumous pardon for a 2004 drug conviction for George Floyd.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was murdered by white police officer Derek Chauvin during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 25 May 2020 after a store clerk suspected Floyd could have used a counterfeit $20 bill. Floyd's death sparked mass protests across the US and abroad, with people demanding a crackdown on police brutality and racial hatred. Chauvin was convicted on three charges, including one count of second-degree unintentional murder, and was sentenced to 22 years in prison.