Authorities have identified and accused John Turscak, 52, in connection with the stabbing of Derek Chauvin, according to fresh charges filed last Friday. Turscak is facing a slew of serious allegations, including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and assault resulting in serious bodily damage.
Who is Derek Chauvin?
According to papers, the alleged assault occurred on November 26 in the Tuscon Federal Correctional Institution’s law library, where Chauvin was allegedly stabbed with a “improvised knife.” Turscak revealed to FBI investigators during a post-Miranda interview that he had been planning the assault on Derek Chauvin for about a month, citing Chauvin’s high profile as the motivation for his aim.
According to the allegations filed against him, Turscak saw an opportunity on Black Friday and chose that day for the attack because it signified the Black Lives Matter movement and the “Black Hand” symbol connected with the Mexican Mafia.
Who is John Turscak?
According to the Los Angeles Times, Turscak’s criminal history includes a previous term of 30 years in jail dating back to 2001. This sentence was imposed as a result of his participation in illegal acts while working as a federal informant. Turscak’s involvement with the Mexican Mafia is also highlighted in court documents, with him admitting to joining the group in 1990.
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Turscak admitted to approving assaults on those who broke Mexican mob norms during his time in the mob. Furthermore, he acknowledged to extorting “taxes” from street gangs and drug traffickers in exchange for security and permission to engage in drug trafficking. In addition, he admitted to two killings, one in 1990 while confined at Folsom Prison and another in 1998, according to court papers.
Derek Chauvin was hospitalized after the incident, but as of Saturday, he was said to be in stable condition. Turscak faces charges that could result in a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for attempted murder and assault with intent to commit murder, and a maximum of 10 years for assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the incident, and the prosecution is being handled by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson.
After the assault, Derek Chauvin’s attorney, Gregory M. Erickson, voiced worry about the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ lack of transparency. Erickson chastised the Bureau for failing to communicate specifics about the incident to Chauvin’s family and legal team, leaving them to rely on news reports for updates on Chauvin’s condition. This lack of communication was blasted by Erickson as unacceptable and symptomatic of flaws within the facility.
Derek Chauvin, 47, was brought to FCI Tucson in August 2022 from a maximum-security Minnesota state prison. He was serving a concurrent federal term of 21 years for violating George Floyd’s civil rights and a state sentence of 2212 years for second-degree murder.
