The man who allegedly stabbed convicted murderer Derek Chauvin 22 times inside a prison library has been charged.
John Turscak, who is already serving a 30-year prison sentence for crimes committed as a member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang, has been charged with attempted murder of Chauvin, the Associated Press reports.
Turscak, 52, is also charged with assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Each of the charges carries a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Even though the suspect said he was not trying to kill Chauvin, he did say that he would have killed Chauvin if the prison guards did not reach him so quicky. The corrections personnel needed to use pepper spray to subdue Turscak
The Bureau of Prison told the media that Chauvin is in stable condition but refused to provide specifics nor how long his recovery process will be.
Ironically, Turscak was scheduled to be released from prison in 2026.
Turscak reportedly told investigators that he attacked Chauvin because he murdered George Floyd on Memorial Day in 2020. He added that he chose Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, because of the “symbolic” connection to the Black Lives Matter movement that was sparked after Floyd’s neck was crushed under Chauvin’s knee. There is also the “Black Hand” that is associated with the Mexican Mafia, prosecutors told the court.
Chauvin has since been transported from the maximum security prison in Minnesota to the FCI Tuscon facility in Arizona following the stabbing incident.
The AP also noted that Chauvin is exercising every legal option to overturn his conviction. In October, the U.S. Supreme Court denied Chauvin’s plea to reverse the murder conviction. Currently, Chauvin’s attorney is working to also overturn his federal guilty plea in light of “new evidence” suggesting he was not responsible for Floyd’s death.
