Derek Chauvin's wife files for divorce, refuses marital support

Days after disgraced policeman Derek Chauvin was recorded arresting George Floyd, his wife, Kellie Chauvin, left him. Kellie also filed for divorce the same day as Derek was charged with criminal offences. Details of the divorce terms have been revealed as the divorce papers became available to media.

The 45-year-old woman stuck to her vow to divorce the man whose actions have sparked nationwide unrest. Kellie has cited "irretrievable breakdown" of their relationship as a reason for her divorce appeal.

According to the divorce papers, the date of the couple's separation was May 28, Thursday. The papers confirm that Kellie left her husband three days after the incident involving Floyd. She broke off the ten-year-long marriage after the ex-cop knelt on the neck of the unarmed man till he passed out. Floyd eventually passed away under suspicious circumstances after the incident involving Derek. On Friday, Derek was arrested for third-degree murder and manslaughter in relation to the death of Floyd.

The Daily Mail revealed the contents of the divorce documents. The papers state that Kellie is capable of supporting herself financially. Kellie, a realtor by profession, stated that she is unemployed currently. However, she does not want financial support from her estranged husband. As part of the divorce settlement, Kellie wants the court to grant her ownership of the couple's properties in the Oakdale suburb of Saint Paul and Windermere, Florida.

The couple met when Kellie was working as a radiologist at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. Derek met her there when he had taken a suspect for a health check at the hospital. The two eventually got married on June 12, 2010. In 2018, Kellie was crowned Mrs. Minnesota America after she entered the beauty pageant.

Kellie, who migrated to the United States from Laos as a child, also applied to the court to get her name changed.

On Kellie's behalf, her attorney, Amanda Mason-Sekula, said that Kellie's sympathies lie with the family of the victim and not with her husband. The mother of two adult children from a previous marriage hopes that the members of the public will respect her and her family's privacy.