Carolyn Pawlenty biography: 13 things about Derek Chauvin’s mother

Carolyn Marie Pawlenty is an American woman from Peosta, Dubuque County, Iowa, United States. She has lived in different parts of Minnesota, USA including Saint Paul and St. Paul Park.

Aside from Peosta, Pawlenty has lived in other parts of Iowa including Dubuque. When she was married to Robert Michael Chauvin, she was a housewife.

Pawlenty was previously named Carolyn Marie Chauvin. Here are 13 more things about her:

1. In March 1976, she gave birth to Derek Michael Chauvin in Ramsey, Anoka County, Minnesota.
2. In October 1982, she gave birth to Krysta Pawlenty whose father is Leroy Jerome Pawlenty Jr.
3. In 1983, she filed for divorce from Robert, asking for the family home and child support for Derek and Krysta.
4. On November 26, 1984, she and Robert divorced. They were granted joint custody of Derek. After divorcing Robert, she married Leroy.
5. On November 18, 2007, her father-in-law Leroy Jerome Pawlenty Sr. passed away. He was buried in Rosemount, Dakota County, Minnesota.
6. On April 20, 2021, her son Derek was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020.
7. On June 25, 2021, she appeared in court before Judge Peter Cahill. Without mentioning Floyd’s name, she told Cahill that Derek has a big heart and pleaded with the judge for leniency. She said, “My son’s identity has also been reduced to that as a racist. I want this court to know that none of these things are true and that my son is a good man.” Later that day, Derek received a sentence of 22 years and six months in prison for the second-degree unintentional murder of Floyd with credit for time served.
8. On July 29, 2022, she took to Facebook to share a GiveSendGo link asking for donations to raise funds for Derek’s legal defense. In the caption, she wrote in part, “THE APPEAL IS STILL MOVING FORWARD. EVERYONE NEEDS TO SEE AND HEAR THE UNALTERED FACTS OF THIS CASE. DEREK WAS FOUND GUILTY BEFORE THE TRIAL EVEN STARTED, WAS DEFINITELY NOT A FAIR TRIAL!”
9. In August 2022, she started visiting Derek at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, USA after he was transferred there from the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Oak Park Heights, Washington County, Minnesota.
10. On April 12, 2023, she shared on Facebook a photo with the words “Derek Chauvin had nothing to do with George Floyd’s death. Floyd died from a self-inflicted fentanyl overdose.”
11. On May 25, 2023, she wrote on Facebook, “FOUR INNOCENT MEN IN PRISON….AUTOPSY REPORT CHANGED, BODY CAM VIDEOS NOT SHOWN, LIES TOLD BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE TRIAL. I KNOW WHO SHOULD BE LOCKED UP!!”
12. She took part in the documentary film “The Fall of Minneapolis”, which was released on November 16, 2023.
13. She was 75 years old when Derek was stabbed on November 24, 2023 by another inmate at the FCI Tucson. She learned about it through the media so she condemned the Bureau of Prisons for failing to contact her.