Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who murdered George Floyd in 2020, was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison on Friday.

On April 20th, Chauvin was found guilty on charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter for killing Floyd. Prosecutors advocated for a heavier sentence of more than 30 years, but the maximum sentence for Chauvin’s crimes would have been 40. Chauvin can appeal the sentence within the next 60 days.

The murder, which was recorded by bystanders sparked nationwide outrage and protests spanning 2020 and 2021. Floyd’s death also prompted the drafting of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, a civil rights bill proposed by Democrats in order to combat racial bias and excessive force in policing. The law passed through the House of Representatives on a party-line vote, but it has not yet been brought to a vote in the Senate.

While some see this as a small victory and a semblance of justice, others are critical of the outcome. Floyd’s family and the prosecution advocated for a harsher sentence that would be in line with the magnitude of Chauvin’s crimes.

“The sentence the court just imposed on Derek Chauvin — 22.5 years — is one of the longest a former police officer has ever received for an unlawful use of deadly force,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a press statement. “Like the conviction of Derek Chauvin two months ago, today’s sentencing is not justice, but it is another moment of real accountability on the road to justice.”

While this sentencing is a sign of accountability and progress, it is important to acknowledge that it is not justice.