The family of George Floyd is calling for an apology from the Minnesota Republican Party after delegates held a moment of silence at last weekend's convention for Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering Floyd.

Chauvin is serving concurrent state and federal prison terms of 22.5 years and 21 years at a federal penitentiary in Texas. He was convicted in state court of murdering Floyd in May 2020 and later pleaded guilty to federal civil rights violations involving Floyd and a 14-year-old boy in a separate 2017 incident.

At last weekend's GOP convention in Duluth, Minnesota, a delegate made a motion for a moment of silence for Chauvin, Minnesota Public Radio reported.

The convention's presiding officer put the motion to a voice vote Saturday morning. Delegates in attendance approved it, and a moment of silence lasting about 10 seconds followed.

"The audacity of the Minnesota Republican Party to honor an individual who has both been convicted by a jury of his peers for the murder of a fellow human being, while at the same time violated a professional oath to protect and serve his community, is disgusting," Floyd family attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci wrote Tuesday in a statement, according to The Hill.

The attorneys demanded that state GOP leaders "issue an immediate retraction of this immoral act and issue an apology to the family of George Floyd and to the people of Minnesota that they serve."

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, a Democrat whose office prosecuted Chauvin, was among those condemning the moment of silence. Ellison issued a statement Sunday saying he was "heartbroken and frankly shocked."

"George Floyd's children lost their father. His siblings lost their brother. His community lost a neighbor and friend," Ellison wrote.

"That loss is permanent and irreparable. The jury heard all the evidence. The appeals courts reviewed every claim. Justice was rendered according to our system of law," he continued.

"To honor the man convicted of murdering George Floyd — days after the very anniversary of that terrible day — is an act of profound cruelty to the Floyd family and to every Minnesotan who believes in accountability under law."

In a statement to Newsmax, Alex Plechash, chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party, said party leadership did not support the motion and described the observance as a "moment of silent prayer."

"To be clear, party leadership did not support this motion," Plechash said.

"The moment of silent prayer was a spontaneous motion brought forward from the convention floor. It was not part of the official convention program, it was not proposed by Convention Chairman Danny Nadeau, and it was not a statement from party leadership," he continued.

"As convention chair, Danny's responsibility was to preside over the process and handle properly made motions from delegates. His role was procedural — not an endorsement of the motion or its subject matter," Plechash said.

"A moment of silent prayer should not be mischaracterized as an official policy position, platform statement, or message from the Republican Party of Minnesota. It was a floor action taken by delegates, not leadership," he added.

"Our focus is on the work Minnesotans expect from us: endorsing strong candidates, uniting Republicans, and holding Democrats accountable for the high taxes, fraud, and failed leadership hurting families across our state."