BIDEN CALLS GUILTY VERDICT IN DEREK CHAUVIN TRIAL ‘A STEP FORWARD’

Wed 21 April 2021:

The conviction of former Minneapolis, Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin brought relief in the US, with many people welcoming the ruling in a trial that was watched around the world.

Chauvin was convicted by a jury just hours earlier of murder and manslaughter for the May 2020 killing of George Floyd, whose grisly death was captured on a bystander’s smartphone camera.

The video triggered worldwide outrage and months of protests in the US against police brutality targeting Black Americans and communities of color.

Chauvin has been found guilty of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Derek Chauvin, guilty of all three counts. Celebration at 38th and Chicago, George Floyd Square. @StarTribune pic.twitter.com/lfJs6JGGGO

— Aaron Lavinsky (@ADLavinsky) April 20, 2021

The legal team representing George Floyd’s family released a statement after the verdict supporting the jury’s verdict, calling the decision “painfully earned justice.”

George Floyd’s girlfriend, Courteney Ross, reacts to Derek Chauvin being convicted of murder in Minneapolis:

“I know that he gave his life so that other people’s cases can get reopened.”#GeorgeFloydTrial pic.twitter.com/hLGbTEybB5

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) April 21, 2021

“Painfully earned justice has arrived for George Floyd’s family and the community here in Minneapolis, but today’s verdict goes far beyond this city and has significant implications for the country and even the world,” said attorney Benjamin Crump. “Justice for Black America is justice for all of America.

This case is a turning point in American history for accountability of law enforcement and sends a clear message we hope is heard clearly in every city and every state.”

The city of Minneapolis comes together after Derek Chauvin was found guilty for the death of George Floyd. 📍Minneapolis, MN (📷: Getty) pic.twitter.com/WsiXS6vl7r

— E! News (@enews) April 20, 2021

‘Giant step forward’

US President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in remarks Tuesday called the conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd a step forward toward a more just America, but emphasized that more must be done.

“A measure of justice isn’t the same as equal justice,” Harris said, speaking first. “This verdict brings us a step closer and the fact is, we still have work to do. We still must reform the system.”

Harris said injustice isn’t just a “people of color problem,” but a problem for “every American.” She urged Congress to pass legislation reforming policing in America, specifically, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Biden echoed Harris’ remarks.

Judge Peter Cahill reads guilty verdict in trial of Derek Chauvin, the former policeman who has been convicted of murdering George Floyd.#GeorgeFloydTrial #DerekChauvinTrial pic.twitter.com/tRRWUbjyYx

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) April 21, 2021

“It was a murder in full light of day, and it ripped the blinders off for the whole world to see the systemic racism the vice president just referred to,” Biden said at the White House after Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black woman to hold the office, addressed the nation.

“Systemic racism is a stain on our nation’s soul — the knee on the neck of justice for Black Americans, the profound fear and trauma, the pain, the exhaustion that Black and brown Americans experience every single day,” added Biden.

An emotional scene after hearing the conviction of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd.

Credit: AP Photos pic.twitter.com/iwc8cxUO15

— Annie McCuen (@Annie_McCuen) April 20, 2021

Shortly before Biden spoke, Harris said Black men have been treated “throughout the course of our history as less than human.”

“Black men are fathers, and brothers, and sons, and uncles, and grandfathers, and friends and neighbors,” she said. “Their lives must be valued in our education system, in our health care system, in our housing system, in our nation. Full stop.”

“‘I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.’ Those are George Floyd’s last words. We can’t let those words die with him,” Biden said. “We have to keep hearing those words. We must not turn away, we can’t turn away. We have a chance to begin to change the trajectory in this country.”

Biden and Harris watched the verdict with their staff in the White House’s private dining room. After the verdict was read, Mr. Biden, Harris and first lady Jill Biden spoke with Philonise Floyd, George Floyd’s brother, from the Oval Office. According to a video shared by Ben Crump, the lead lawyer for the Floyd family, Mr. Biden told them, “there’s some justice now.”

Chauvin pinned Floyd to the ground with his knee fixed firmly on his neck for over nine minutes amid pleas from Floyd that he could not breathe, and desperate cries for his mother.

Chauvin’s bail was immediately revoked, meaning he will spend his time until sentencing in prison. He will be sentenced in eight weeks. In Minnesota, second-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. Third-degree murder is punishable by up to 25 years in prison. Second-degree manslaughter is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. But sentencing guidelines recommend less time for offenders with no criminal history.