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INSIDE EDITION EXCLUSIVE: THE BODYGUARD HIRED TO PROTECT DEREK CHAUVIN DURING TRIAL REVEALS WHAT IT WAS LIKE GUARDING “THE MOST HATED MAN IN AMERICA”
INSIDE EDITION EXCLUSIVE:
THE BODYGUARD HIRED TO PROTECT DEREK CHAUVIN DURING TRIAL REVEALS WHAT IT WAS LIKE GUARDING “THE MOST HATED MAN IN AMERICA”
AIRING ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th
Check local listings at www.insideedition.com
VIDEO LINK (MUST CREDIT INSIDE EDITION AND LINK BACK):
New York, NY – September 13, 2021 – INSIDE EDITION’s Steven Fabian exclusively speaks today with Scott Yelle, the professional bodyguard hired to keep Derek Chauvin safe while he was on trial for the murder of George Floyd, despite hundreds of death threats.
For the first time ever, Yelle reveals his identity and describes how he led a cloak-and-dagger operation to protect Chauvin.
He tells INSIDE EDITION that Chauvin wasn’t in police custody, but that he was actually holed up in a top-secret location 35 miles away from the Minneapolis courthouse, across state lines in Wisconsin. He said the job of getting one of the most hated men in American back-and-forth from the courthouse everyday was a logistical nightmare.
Yelle used a fleet of bullet-proof SUVs to prevent any assassination attempt targeting Chauvin. Every SUV was equipped with a bag that contained items for protection. “This is mace,” Yelle tells INSIDE EDITION, “So if we needed to move people back from us, obviously, we don’t want to be victims of it as well. Gas masks, tourniquets and obviously COVID was a big thing, so COVID masks.”
He goes on to say that they all would wear bullet-proof vests when traveling with Chauvin, and had to be mindful of the threats from crowds of protesters outside court each day. Yelle says he had to be aware of dangers including, “people shooting, people throwing rocks, bricks, anything they could find.”
He adds, “We also had to worry about people throwing Molotov.” Yelle says they received threats every single day.
There were also secret safe houses in a nearby suburban neighborhood, where Chauvin could be taken in an emergency. He would even drive there on a round-about way to throw off anyone following them.
Chauvin was smuggled into a parking lot beneath the courthouse each morning, but he was still thought to be in danger even in court. Yelle says he even refused to let Chauvin eat any of the food provided by court officials.
During the 44 days and nights Yelle protected Chauvin, he says he saw him express remorse just once. “I said, ‘Is there anything I can do for you? And he said, ‘You can take me back a year,’” Yelle tells INSIDE EDITION.
For INSIDE EDITION’s full report, tune in on Monday, September 13th. Check local listings for times and stations in your area.
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